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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26087734">Shadow's Blog</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueJayFloreine/pseuds/BlueJayFloreine'>BlueJayFloreine</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Maximum Ride - James Patterson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 03:53:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>28,762</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26087734</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueJayFloreine/pseuds/BlueJayFloreine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Maximum Ride told the story of her flock- but there was one member she left out. My name is Shadow Moon, and boy do I have a story to tell... (Give the story a chance, it gets better as it goes ;D some pretty crazy stuff goes down.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Fang/Maximum "Max" Ride</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Entry 1: Explanations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hello everyone and nice to meet you! My name is Shadow Moon- cool right? I chose it myself- and I’m here to fill in some blanks that you Maximum Ride lovers didn’t even know were there.</p><p>First off, I should explain who I am. You know Fang? The tall, dark, quiet member of the flock? Well not only is he the one who encouraged me to make this blog in the first place, but he is also my twin brother (so if you want to know what I look like just picture a girl Fang). I know what you all are thinking- “Fang doesn’t have a twin sister! I’ve read all the books and there is no twin in there!” Well there’s a reason for that. You see when Max was writing the books I got upset because I didn’t want the whole world knowing everything about me. She wouldn’t listen to my complaints so eventually I blackmailed her into leaving me out of the books… (I also got Fang to keep me out of his blog, but as punishment I’m doing this one…)</p><p>Second, a little background on me. Me and Fang were both taken to the School at the same time and even shared a cage for most of our childhood. The whitecoats were thrilled that we were twins because they could do stuff to me and study the difference between me and Fang. They gave Fang the 2% avian DNA, but instead of doing the same to me they gave me 2% avian and 2% Lupin DNA. I know what your thinking and no, I’m not a flying eraser. I have wings like the rest of the flock, but for a while my 2% of Lupin DNA didn’t make an appearance, which was confusing to the whitecoats. They decided to separate me from Fang for a while so for about a year I shared a cage with a girl named Dawn who is also Avian Human. I became great friends with her(at the time being, like, 4) so when the whitecoats decided they didn’t need her and were gonna feed her to the erasers I freaked. Something in me snapped and the moment they opened the cage to get her I turned into a jet black wolf and attacked them, so I guess that’s where the Lupin DNA comes in! After they had tranquilized me they brought me into a lab to study me further and when they were finally done they put me back with Fang, I never saw Dawn again.</p><p>When Jeb took us from the School I was with the flock, I’ve always been with them. When Jeb disappeared I was devastated, but I was going through a phase where I wanted to be just like Fang so I never let anyone see just how upset I was. However, whenever I found myself alone I couldn’t help but cry, Jeb had been a father to me…</p><p>Anywho, I’m getting ahead of myself… In my future blog posts I’m going to explain my view of things starting with the first book. If you have any questions feel free to comment! I’d love to hear what you have to say and ask!</p><p>(Trying to think of a sign off as cool as Fang's, excuse me if I fail, and I’d love suggestions!)</p><p>Keep Soaring!</p><p>-Shadow Moon</p><p>P.S.<br/>
BTW (that means By The Way, just figured this out) I'd be happy if you shared this blog with your friends, family, and enemies! (As long as they are not whitecoats, or Erasers, or the Flock)</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Entry 2: Uprooting Chapters 1-11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shadow tells her side of chapters 1-11 of the Maximum Ride books...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>May I start off by saying that I didn’t even know Max was capable of having nightmares? I just always thought she was invincible even in her dreams… Guess I should have known better. Anywho, while Max and the others were dreaming I was actually in the TV room watching a show. We were all watching it together the night before but the others had slowly gone of to their rooms for bed. I was the only one who stayed up, totally unaware of anything else, until sunlight glared on the TV screen from the open window! I freaked out because I knew Max- who was 4 months older than me and Fang- would be furious that I had stayed up all night watching TV-again- so I snuck back into me and Fang’s room just as I heard Max exit her own. I tip-toed as silently as possible to the bed were Fang was sprawled, but I’m not nearly as quiet as my brother so of course he woke up. </p><p>He looked up at me in surprise, “Someones up earlier than usual.” I of course was relieved and annoyed at the same time. He didn’t realize I had just come to bed, but this meant I would have to pretend to be wide awake when all I wanted to do was curl up and sleep all day.</p><p>“The sun woke me…” I shrugged, trying my best totally-not-guilty face. I didn’t sleep as long and hard as Nudge, but I didn’t get up at the crack of dawn like Fang either. Fang got up and pulled his cloths out of his messy drawers.</p><p>“Your turn to change in the bathroom.” He informed me, hinting at me to hurry up. I reluctantly groaned and pulled my own cloths out of the closet where they had been carefully hung up. I only started hanging my cloths up when I found a dead rat in them back when they laid in a pile on the closet floor. I left the room without another word to my brother and stomped off to the bathroom, passing a yawning 8-year-old Gazzy on my way. When I got to the bathroom the door was locked, I knocked until Iggy- who was only 2 months younger than me- told me he was using it and to wait my turn. I suddenly realized then how close I had been to being discovered that morning, if I had stayed there another minute or two someone would have seen me.</p><p>Iggy left the restroom and I quickly took his place. I dropped my clothes on the counter and checked my appearance in the mirror, making sure it wasn’t too obvious that I was dead-tired. My eyes were bloodshot, which I couldn’t change, but I could do something with my waist-long hair. Me and Fang looked so similar it was scary, and yet he didn’t look like a girl and I didn’t look like a boy. However Fang’s hair and eyes were plain black, but if you look closely at my eyes you can see light blue specks in them, and my hair has natural light blue streaks running through it. I know it sounds odd- “Natural blue streaks? Impossible!”- but if you think about it, so is kids with wings! Back when Jeb was still with us I asked him about it and he went on this long sciency explaination about how my genetics were a bit off and that this was a result. I stopped paying attention after the first sciency word...</p><p>I got dressed slowly then lazily pulled a brush through my hair. I should have taken a shower since it was my turn, but I was worried I would fall asleep… When I was finished brushing my hair through I stuffed it in a ponytail and went to the kitchen for breakfast. Everyone was already at the table eating. I muttered a quick “Mornin” and started scooping eggs onto a plate. <br/>“There’s juice in the fridge.” Gazzy informed between bites. I got my drink and joined them at a table.</p><p>“I want to pick strawberries today, they’re ripe now.” Angel declared. I mentally groaned, it sounded exausting. </p><p>“Okay, Angel, I’ll go with you,” Gazzy said right before he cut the cheese. Everyone freaked but I just chuckled and continued eating. I’ve never had a problem with the Gasman’s gaseous fumes. Max declared that it would be good if we all went and this time I groaned out loud. </p><p>“I’ll stay back this time…” I cut in as they all headed for the door.</p><p>“Aww, pleeaaase come, Shadow! It’ll be fun! You can just lay on the grass and nap if you want!” Angel begged.</p><p>I cringed, Thats right, Angel can read minds! Why do I always forget? “That’s okay, I need to…” I racked my useless brain for an excuse, “Sort my closet?” Angel, I stayed up all night, I promise I’ll do something special with you next time. I mentally promised.</p><p>“Okay!” She said to both of my replies and walked out the door with the others. As Fang left he raised his eyebrow at me but said nothing. </p><p>The moment they were gone I stumbled to my room, fell onto the bed, and went right to sleep. Though I was fast asleep part of me heard the distant screams of the Flock as they were attacked by erasers and they seeped into my dreams. In my dream me and the flock were in the sewers, leading a bunch of other mutants to their freedoms. An eraser who seemed to know Max appeared and he and Max fought while the rest of us went ahead. I think the eraser died. As we were flying out of the sewer we all heard Jeb scream something about Max killing her brother. The dream made no sense, and I woke up disoriented and confused as the front door slammed shut. </p><p>Not at all rested I climbed out of bed and went to see what had brought them home so early. I heard the crash of breaking dishes and Fang and Iggy yelling at each other. I walked in and suddenly felt wide awake, everyone was a mess, bloody and bruised, and worse of all- Angel was no where to be seen. </p><p>No one had seen me yet as they yelled and I was too stunned at their appearance to say anything. </p><p>“Guys! Guys! We’re all upset. But we’re not the enemy! They’re the enemy.” Max shouted at them, bringing silence to the room.</p><p>“What happened?” I managed to choke. </p><p>Fang looked up, his eyes momentarily showing the emotion he felt before going blank. “Erasers. They attacked and took Angel. We tried to get her back but they had a chopper and guns.” He said it so matter of factly that I knew that he must be devastated. I looked from each person, Nudge was curled next to Iggy on the couch, Max had just finished bandaging Gazzy and I could tell she was totally freaking out.</p><p>“Take deep breaths,” Gazzy instructed, making me realize I wasn’t breathing. I gasped, tears forming in my eyes. Angel was gone! Taken by anyone’s worst nightmare! Nudge started speaking but I couldn’t hear here, everything was blurry. If I had been there…. If I had been there maybe we wouldn’t have lost her… The thought stuck and tore at my heart. I had been napping in bed while Angel and the others were fighting for their lives… I sat heavily on the table.</p><p>“We know where they took her.” Fang said, pulling me out of my daze. </p><p>“Where’s that?” Iggy asked.</p><p>Fang and Max responded at the same time, “The School.”</p><p>I winced and everyone freaked out. I stopped listening as they asked questions I already know the answer too. Of course they wanted us, of course they never forgot about us! Jeb had stollen us from the School and they’ve been trying to get us back since. I watched Fang silently leave the room and come back with an armful of Jeb’s old papers, yellowed and stinky. He laid them on the table and looked through the paper until finding what he was looking for. He and Max shared a look and he opened it, taking out a map.</p><p>“What is that?” Gazzy asked.</p><p>“Map,” Fang responded.</p><p>“Map of what?” Nudge said, leaning closer to get a better look.</p><p>“Map of a secret facility, in California. The School.” Max explained, her voice tight.</p><p>As the others freaked out I walked around the table to get a closer look, already planning possible ways to save Angel. </p><p>Nudge started ranting on like she does until Max impatiently covered her mouth. She pulled Max’s hand away and asked, “Uh, how far is it?”</p><p>“Six hundred miles, more or less. At least a seven-hour flight, not including breaks.” Fang calculated. So far… it could be too late by then!</p><p>“Can we discuss this? We’re way outnumbered.” Iggy interrupted. </p><p>“No.” Max said, also scanning the map.</p><p>“Can we take a lot? They had guns. And a chopper.” I could hear the fear in Iggy’s voice and looked up. He wasn’t looking anywhere in particular.</p><p>“Iggy. This is not a democracy, it’s a Maxocracy. You know we have to go after Angel. You can’t be thinking that we just let them take her.” Max argued, I nodded in agreement, which was waisted on Iggy. “The six of us look out for one another- no matter what. None of us is ever going to live in a cage again, not while I’m alive.” She took a big breath as if preparing for a major battle, “But actually, Nudge, Fang, and I are going after Angel. You, Shadow, and the Gasman- I need you to stay here. Hold down the fort. On the off chance Angel escapes and makes her way home.”</p><p>The room was suddenly dead silent then anger surged over me. There was no way they were going off to save Angel without me! Apparently Iggy was equally as furious. “You are so full of it, that’s not why you want us here. Why don’t you just say it?”</p><p>“Okay, it’s true. I don’t want you to come. The fact is, your blind, and while you’re a great flyer around here where you know everything, I can’t be worrying about you in the middle of a firefight with the Erasers.” Max explained in a “no questioning my judgement” kind of voice.</p><p>“What about me?” The Gasman asked before I could, “I don’t care if they have guns and a chopper and Erasers. She’s my sister.”</p><p>“That’s right. And if they want her so bad, they might want you just as bad, plus, you’re a great flyer, but you’re eight years old, and we’re going to be logging major hours.” Max pointed out.</p><p>“And me?” I scoffed, “What reason could possibly justify leaving me behind?” </p><p>Max and Fang looked at each other and Fang spoke up, “When we were fighting the Erasers we heard them call to each other. They were looking for you too Shads… If you had been there…” I heard the pain in his voice but ignored it forcefully.</p><p>“If I would have been there I could have saved Angel!” I cried. “I wasn’t there for her then, so I have to help you get her back now!” I tried to sound angry and determined, but a tear escaped my eye. </p><p>Everyone was silent for a moment then Gazzy broke the silence, “If you were there you would have just gotten hurt too, if not taken. There was nothing anyone could have done…” </p><p>I couldn’t help it, I walked over and hugged the boy I always thought of as my little brother. He always knew the perfect thing to say.</p><p>“Fine, Shadow, you can come,” Max reluctantly agreed, “but the moment I tell you to turn back, you do it. Understood?” </p><p>“Understood.” I sighed. Fang didn’t look happy with the agreement, but he didn’t say anything.</p><p>“So me and Gazzy just stay here?” Iggy asked.</p><p>“Yes.” Max confirmed.</p><p>“Jeb would never have made us stay. Never. Ever.”</p><p>“Maybe not, we’ll never know.” Max said, “Jeb’s dead. Now everyone get your gear together.”</p><p> </p><p>That just about covers my side of Chapters 1-11 and Part 1 of Max’s books. I’ll be posting the next chapters later. Please comment what you thought of my life so far! </p><p>(Here goes another sign off…)</p><p>Fly High</p><p>~Shadow Moon</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Entry 3: Flying Chapters 12-25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shadow tells her side of chapters 12-25 of the Maximum Ride books.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hello again everyone! I know you’re totally excited to hear my side of chapters 12-25, but really not much happens. Looking back I wasn’t paying much attention to my fellow bird-kids. I only listened occasionally when they spoke, rarely commenting. I think I gained that habit during the time I started trying my hardest to be just like Fang. The only way I could be as quiet as him was if I didn’t pay attention… I don’t know how Fang does it! When I actually listen I can’t help but talk. Not pointlessly like Nudge, which is definitely a good thing. </p><p>Anywho, we left a non-to-happy-party of Iggy and Gazzy and started flying to California. Let me just say this, I LOVE flying. If I had to chose between Flying, Reading, Writing, and Sleeping I’d definitely chose Flying (though it would be a hard choice). I closed my eyes, feeling the breeze play with my hair. I had taken my hair out of it’s ponytail before we took off, I loved feeling the wind brushing through my hair…</p><p>“On the plus side, flying is just really, really cool.” I heard Max say, having to speak up through the wind. I saw Fang smile in agreement. Though I used to see Fang’s silence as cool and tried to mimic it, I now saw it as annoying, why couldn’t he just say what he was thinking?! I don’t speak as much as I used too, but I’m starting to do so more and more, being myself instead of being Fang…</p><p>“On the minus side, we’re mutant freaks who will never live a normal life.” Max pointed out.<br/>I saw Fang shrug, “Win some, loose some.” </p><p>We kept flying at a steady pace unless we caught a good wind current. As the sun grew brighter in the sky I felt it warm my black wings with occasional blue feathers to the point of uncomfortableness. I knew that if the wind hadn’t been cooling them at the same time the sun warmed them it would be much worse. </p><p>After a while of silent flying I heard Nudge speak up, “Max? I was thinking- I mean, right before we left? I just looked at Jeb’s old files, you know? And some of them were about us. Or me. I saw my name on a page, my real name, Monigue, and then, like, some people’s names, and then- Tipisco, Arizona. Tipisco is right on the Arizona-California border- I found it on the map. Real tiny town, it looked like. Anyway, I was thinking, none of us ever knew our real parents, and, you know, we’ve always wondered, or at least I mean I’ve always wondered, but I guess the rest of you have too, like, whether they gave me up voluntarily or whether-“</p><p>“Nudge.” Max interrupted, “I know how you feel. But those names might not have anything to do with you. We don’t know if we were just test-tube babies or what. Please. Let’s focus on rescuing Angel.”</p><p>Nudge was silent. I had perked up to listen, but now stared back at the ground.</p><p>“Nudge?” </p><p>“Yea, okay. I was just thinking.” Nudge said, her voice monotone. </p><p>I thought about what Nudge had said. Could her parents really be so close? I started wondering about my own parents for the first time in ages. When I was younger I used to imagine what our life would have been like- me and Fang’s- if we had been with them. I stoped when the pain and longing became too much. The chance that one of our parents could be so close brought a stirring in those old memories…</p><p>We flew for a few more hours until Nudge complained about being hungry. As if on cue my own stomached growled loudly. “Apparently I am too.” I laughed.</p><p>Fang and Max decided to fly down to the skiing cabins since they were mostly empty in the summer. We flew down to one of the cheap ones and hit the jackpot of canned foods. While they decided which of it to eat I slipped back outside to the empty woods and shook out my wings, trying to cool them off. Once they were sufficiently cool I tucked them in and went back inside to stuff my face with food. Everyone was still eating when I went to the dusty couches and collapsed and immediately fell asleep. Not only had the flight been exhausting, but I hadn’t had more then an hour of sleep for longer than 48 hours! My sleep was deep and dreamless…</p><p>“Shadow! Wake up! We slept in!” I heard Max shout. I groaned and rolled over, flopping onto the dusty floor. “Nudge! Nudge! Wake up! Oh, man…” </p><p>I sat up, rubbing my sore body.</p><p>“What time is it?” Me and Fang asked at the same time.</p><p>“Almost morning! Of the next day!” Max groaned. Fang automatically went to the kitchen and filled a dirty old backpack he had found with canned food. Max helped Nudge wake up while I stood up, feeling refreshed. When we were ready Max herded us out the door acting like a drill sergeant gone bad.</p><p>“We’re going, we’re going!” I moaned as she shoved me out the window. We all took off into the air.</p><p>A few minutes later Fang dared to speak, “We had to rest.” </p><p>Max shot him a look, “For ten hours?”</p><p>Fang continued calmly, as if talking to a child, “Today we’ve got another four hours to go, maybe a bit more. We couldn’t have done it in one shot. It was late when we left. We’re going to have to stop again anyway, right before we get there, and refuel.” </p><p>Max frowned at his logic and flew in silence, refusing to acknowledge the truth of his words.</p><p>“It’s not your fault, Max. Even if you had woken up when you had planned it would have been impossible to wake me up, I was out cold!” I comforted. She didn’t say anything, but I saw her relax a little. </p><p>“No.” Fang suddenly said, pulling me out of a daze I had gone into a while later. I looked up and saw Max trying to say something, “No.” Fang insisted. What had I missed in my zoned-out daydreaming?</p><p>“Meet me at the northernmost point of Lake Mead.” She instructed.</p><p>“What?” Nudge asked, confused, “What are you talking about? Are we stopping? I’m hungry again.”</p><p>“Max wants to go be Supergirl, defender of the weak.” Fang said, rolling his eyes.</p><p>“Oh.” Nudge said. We both looked down, trying to see what he was talking. Nudge was looking the wrong way, but I saw what they were talking about. Down on the ground a bunch of guys surrounded a young girl.</p><p>“Oh! Max, remember when you got that little rabbit away from the fox, and we kept it in a cotton in the kitchen, and then when it was well you let it go? That was cool. Did you see another rabbit?” Nudge said, making me roll my eyes and smile. I had been the one to scare off the fox by turning into a wolf, nearly gave the rabbit a heart attack…</p><p>“Kind of, it’ll take two seconds.” She turned to Fang, “I’ll catch up with you guys before you’ve gone forty miles. Just keep on course, and if anything weird happens, I’ll meet you at Lake Mead.”</p><p>“Can I come?” I asked, already knowing the answer.</p><p>“No.” Both she and Fang said at the same time. I rolled my eyes but said no more. I watched Max turn and dive down and kept watching until I couldn’t see her anymore.</p><p>“Fang? Why didn’t you let me go with Max?” I asked. I had tried asking the flock why they were all so overprotective of me before, but I never got a strait answer. It started one day in the School when the whitecoats had made me turn into a wolf and set me loose on some Erasers to see which was stronger. The flock could see me from the lab they were in at the time. I had almost died, but I would have won, if I had fought. I had refused to hurt them so I just sat there while they attacked me. The whitecoats had been furious… Ever since then everyone, especially Fang, had been extremely overprotective of me and I hated it.</p><p>“No use in both of you going.” He said vaguely. I scowled and flew higher and faster, trying to get ahead of them. I watched the endless desert of Arizona fly by, slowing down a little to be above them. </p><p>An hour later Nudge spoke up, “Fang? I’m really hungry, you know?” </p><p>“Down there.” I said to Fang, pointing to an indent in the cliffs. Fang silently flew in what I could see now was a cave. He sat down and pulled out the food, handing Nudge a bag of dried fruit and me a can of ravioli. I sat next to him and pawed through the bag to see what else we had. Fang pulled out some chocolate, handed me one, and waved one in front of Nudge’s face. </p><p>“Oh, Fang, where did you find this? You must have been hiding it- you didn’t say anything, and all this time you’ve had chocolate, and oh, gosh, it’s so good…” Nudge gushed. Fang smiled a little and took a bit of his own, closing his eyes and savoring it. I put mine in my bag for later and started eating my ravioli.</p><p>“So where’s Max? Why’d she go down there? Shouldn’t she be back by now? Aren’t we supposed to go all the way to Lake Mead? What are we gonna do if she doesn’t come back soon-“ Nudge said, only stopping when Fang held up a hand.</p><p>“Max saw someone in trouble, down below, and went to help.” he explained, “We’ll wait here for her; Lake Mead is right below us.”</p><p>Nudge walked to the ledge and suddenly froze. “Uh, Fang?” </p><p>Fanged walked over to her while I stayed and ate. He froze along side her and motioned for me to stay.</p><p>“What are they?” Nudge asked quietly.</p><p>“Ferruginous hawks, largest raptor in the States.” Fang whispered back to her, I suddenly tensed and watched them, half expecting giant birds to attack them at any moment. “Sit down, very slowly. No sudden movements or we’re both bird feed.”</p><p>They both slowly say while I slowly stood, preparing to fend of the birds if they attacked my family. Nudge said something softly but Fang shushed her. After a moment Fang stretched out his wings and let the birds catch his sent, explaining that to Nudge. </p><p>Slowly they relaxed and begun watching the birds. I let out my wings and joined them, the birds payed no mind to me as I sat by Nudge and Fang. The big birds were feeding their young which made Nudge squirm and complain. Fang grinned, looking happier than I had seen him in a long, long time…</p><p>A while later Nudge started complaining about how long we were taking as we watched the hawks fly, “Angel’s waiting for us, I mean, she’s like a little sister, like everyone’s little sister.” I nodded in agreement, “At night, when we’re supposed to be asleep, me and Angel talk and tell jokes and stuff.” She looked at Fang, worried. “I mean, am I going to have to sleep in that room alone, whenever we get home? Max has to come back. She wouldn’t let Angel go, right?” Nudge fretted.</p><p>“No, she won’t let Angel go. Look- you see how that big hawk, the one with the dark stripe on its shoulders- you see how he seems to move one wing faster than the other when he banks? It makes his bank really tight and smooth. We should try it.”</p><p>I studied the hawk he was talking about as he got up and took off into the air to try it. Me and Nudge soon got up and joined him. It was heaven! I felt so free and alive flying with these great beasts of the sky! I tucked in my wings, did several flips, then let them out, catching myself and angling back to the sky. Fang grinned at me, and we flew for a while longer until the sun set. I was the first to go back in the cave, eager to get more sleep. Nudge came in next and laid on her stomach, stretching her wings out and watching the hawks as they returned to their nests. Fang joined us soon after.</p><p>I thought about Angel, and Max, and the boys we left at home. I couldn’t help but worry about everyone that wasn’t right in front of me. Had Iggy and Gazzy already blown up the house? Had Max gotten hurt? How was Angel doing? Were they hurting her? Was she even still alive?</p><p>I heard a small sniffle, so did Fang. “What?” He asked.</p><p>“What’s wrong Nudge?” I asked, scooting closer. </p><p>“These birds, like, these dumb hawks have more of a mom than I ever had.” She whipped her eyes, “The parents are taking care of the little ones. No one ever did that for me. Well, besides Max. But she’s not a mom.”</p><p>“Yea. I get it.” Fang said, surprising me by sounding sad. </p><p>“Me too. Max does her best, but she can only do so much…” I sighed. Nudge rested her head on my shoulder and I hugged her gently. Once the sun set Fang came closer and held out his left fist, me and Nudge did the same. This small action brought unwanted tears to my eyes. Normally we did this with the whole flock, but there was only the three of us…</p><p>“Night.” Nudge whispered, curling up against the wall of the cave.</p><p>“Night Nudge, night Shadow.” Fang whispered.</p><p>“Sweet dreams.” I sighed, scooting closer to Fang and laying down by him…</p><p> </p><p>Aaaaaand that’s where chapter 25 ends!I know not much happens in chapters 12-25, but more will happen in the next entry, I promise. Keep reading and please comment with any questions and stuff!</p><p>(This sign out is gunna suck, I’m sorry)</p><p>Don’t die.</p><p>~Shadow Moon</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Entry 4: Mobile Home Chapters 26-48</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shadow's version of Chapters 26-49 of the first Maximum Ride book!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hey guys! Ready to hear the next chapters in my perspective? I’m just gunna jump right in because that’s just what I do! By the way, chapters 25-33 are in Max’s and the boy’s perspectives, so the part in Max’s book I’m starting at will be Chapter 34 which is in Nudge’s perspective. </p><p> </p><p>I awoke several times in the night because of the hardness of the rock I laid on. I know, I’m a marshmallow, but I could never find a way to be comfortable! Eventually Fang got up and told me to use his lap as a pillow. I happily did so and didn’t wake again till the crack of dawn. I sat up as quietly as possibly and tip-toed out of the cave. Taking of into the air I flew up to the top of the cliff face and sat down to watch the rising sun. Not much later I saw Fang leap into the air and start flying. Once he saw that I was safe he started flying with the hawks, practicing the moves they did. After a few more minutes of watching the sunrise I joined him in the private aerobatic display. </p><p>“Max shouldn’t be taking this long.” I pointed out, trying to sound calm.</p><p>“I know.” Fang sighed.</p><p>“Should we look for her?” I prompted, flying closer to him.</p><p>“I don’t think that would be safe. If she is hurt there’s a chance someone knows about her wings, there’s no use giving us away too.” He explained, “Besides, Max is smart. If she is in trouble she will find a way out of it.”</p><p>I didn’t say anything else, but his answer didn’t satisfy me. It took all I had not to just fly to where we had separated and find Max right then. I heard Nudge wake up slowly and a few minutes later leap out of the cave and join them. </p><p>“Morning.” Fang nodded.</p><p>“I’m hungry.” Was Nudge’s response.</p><p>“Town about three minutes away. Follow me.” He instructed the two of us.</p><p>We flew into town and went dumpster diving for food. After filling our jackets we quickly leapt up and flew back to the cave to eat our find. Once in the cave I sat down and pulled out my edible treasures. Fang pointed out something about the hawks but I was too caught up with my food to notice. </p><p>Fang declared that we were going to circle back and look for Max. I looked at him as he stood. “You ready?” He asked Nudge. She jumped up at the same time I did. I hurried out of the cave, followed by Fang, and then Nudge who yelled something random as she flew into the air.</p><p>We circled around for a while, not talking. I kept my eyes peeled on the desert floor, searching for some sign, any sign, of Max but not finding anything.</p><p>“Fang? Do you remember where we left Max?” Nudge asked.</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Are we going to go there?” She continued.</p><p>Fang looked at me before answering, “Not if we can help it.”</p><p>“But why? Maybe Max is hurt and needs help. Maybe we need to save her before we go save Angel.” Nudge fretted. I shunned the idea of Max being hurt.</p><p>Fang repeated what he had said to me that morning but with more detail to Nudge. I blocked out his voice and flew further ahead, joining a flock of birds that were flying slightly below us. There were seven of them. The smallest one flew away, out of sight and four of the bigger ones soon followed it, leaving behind two. I subconsciously followed the four bigger and watched as the biggest left the group, leaving the other three to fly down to the trees to wait. I realized the symbolism of what I had just witnessed and turned back to join my fellow bird kids.</p><p>“See anything?” Nudge asked me. I shook my head, silent, and a few minutes later Nudge shouted, “Fang! It’s Tipisco, down below! I’m going there!”</p><p>“No way, Nudge. Don’t get sidetracked now. Stay with me.” Fang commanded. I looked down and saw the Tipisco sign on the highway. It was only three miles away! The possibility of Nudge’s parents being so close was startling.</p><p>“No!” Nudge said, starting towards Tipisco. “I have to go find my parents! If Max is gone, I’m going to need someone!” Her comment startled both me and Fang as we followed her. </p><p>“What? Nudge you’re crazy. Come on, let’s talk about it. Let’s find a place, take a break.”</p><p>“No! I’m going down- and you can’t stop me!” She cried. </p><p>“I’ll come with you.” I declared calmly, earning a fierce glare from my twin. “It’s worth a check since we aren’t making any progress anyways.”</p><p>Nudge smiled gratefully at me and I smiled back. Fang didn’t understand the longing for a true parent that most of had. The most Max was to me was a sister. We were too close in age for me to think of her as a mom! Besides, Max wasn’t the only one who did motherly things! Yea she did most of it, but I helped out too. </p><p>As we flew to the address Nudge had found near her name on Jeb’s papers Fang tried several times to convince Nudge to stop, using every tactic they could think of. I stayed silent, knowing Nudge wouldn’t need any help from me. I could see she was bound and determined to do this. We landed at the edge of a trailer home neighborhood and walked along the “streets”. I watched the signs for Chaparral Court.</p><p>“Come on.” Fang softly said. “I see Chaparral Court.” Almost immediately after hearing his words I saw it too and started walking too it. The neighborhood was not exactly friendly. there was junk along the road and dying desert plants littered the area. I saw the address Nudge had recalled, 4625, ahead of us and kept walking. It was the last mobile home on the line. They ducked behind some spray paint cans and watched the home. Well, they watched it, I watched Nudge, making sure she was okay.</p><p>“What if they moved? What if you misunderstood what you read and these people aren’t related to you at all?” Fang said pessimistically. Then his tone changed to gentleness, “Nudge, even if you weren’t a test-tube baby- which you probably were- what if there was a reason they gave you up? They might not want you back.” I glared at him. How could he be so insensitive?</p><p>“Do you think I haven’t thought of that? I know that!” She sounded angry, which was unlike Nudge, but not a surprise considering Fang’s attitude. “But I have to try. I mean, if there’s the slightest chance- wouldn’t you try?”</p><p>“I don’t know.” He shrugged. </p><p>“That’s because you don’t need anything or anybody, but I’m not like that. I need people.” Nudge said. Fang fell silent. Good. </p><p>The door opened and everyone looked to it. A woman came out and sat down to smoke and drink her coke. Nudge made a small gasp and watched her, emotions flickering across her face. <br/>I was about to say something when a beautiful male voice spoke first. “Looking for something, freaks? Guess you found it.” </p><p>The Erasers laughed their beautiful, taunting laugh right behind us.</p><p>The three of us jumped to our feet and turned to face the three Erasers behind us.<br/>“Ari.” Fang said to the lead one. </p><p>Both me and Nudge looked at him in confusion then surprise. It was Ari! Little Ari!<br/>“Ari! You were just a little kid.” Nudge exclaimed. I looked at each Eraser, the sight of them sending chills down my spine. Images of them attacking me while I was a wolf flashed through my head and I took an involuntary step back.</p><p>“And now I’m a great big grown-up Eraser, and you’re a little brown piglet. Yum.” He snarled, grinning wickedly.</p><p>“What did they do to you? I’m sorry, Ari.” Nudge said quietly.</p><p>“Save your pity for yourself. I’m exactly who I want to be. And I’ve got some news for you. Your hideout in the mountains is nothing but ashes. Your pals keep having unfortunate accidents. You three are the last ones alive- and now we’ve got you.” Ari sneered. </p><p>I paled, could that really be true? Could our house be gone? My mind span wildly.<br/>“Pinwheel.” I heard Fang say almost inaudibly. I hoped he was saying it to Nudge because I had no control over my frozen limbs.</p><p>“Cholla first.” Nudge responded, much to my relief.</p><p>The Erasers looked at each other, confused.</p><p>“Count of three.” Fang evenly said.</p><p>Ari growled and attacked, cuffing Fang’s shoulder. “Shut up!”</p><p>I watched, frozen as Fang caught himself and gave Nudge the signal. Nudge shoved an Eraser into a cholla cactus and lunged sideways towards Fang. Together they attacked the other two Erasers while I stayed, immobile. I remained there as the two fell to the floor and Ari started repeatedly punching my brother. I screamed at my body to go and pull Ari off of him, but it didn’t respond. Luckily Nudge had brains enough to grab a can of spray paint and spray it into Ari’s face, freeing Fang. Nudge took off and Fang hurried to me.</p><p>“Snap out of it!” He said, leaping into the air with an hand firmly around my arm. I was able to regain control of my limps in able to get airborne.</p><p>“You’re dead, freaks!” Arie snarled, looking like a green apple.</p><p>“Oh, like you’re not a freak yourself! Try looking in a mirror, dog boy!” Nudge yelled at him. One of the Erasers pulled out a gun and automatically we flew higher, Fang still having a firm hand on my arm to guide me. We flew to a safe distance and Nudge started apologizing. “I’m sorry, Fang. It was my fault you got hurt.”</p><p>No, I thought, unable to speak,  it’s my fault! I should have helped! I should have-</p><p>“It wasn’t your fault, you’re just a kid.” He said.</p><p>“Let’s go home.” Nudge sighed.</p><p>“They said it burned down.” </p><p>“No, I mean the home with the hawks,” Nudge corrected. </p><p>Knowing where they were heading I poured on the speed and flew towards the cave, unable to stop the tears forming and spilling out of my eyes. What was wrong with me? I had just sat there like a rock while my family got attacked by those stupid Erasers! I let out a scream of frustration and continued to fly…</p><p>Later that day when we were in the cave we heard a helicopter flying in the distance. We sat as far back against the cave as possible for about 20 minutes until we were sure it was safe then me and Fang went out to find some food. We flew for a moment in silence, I hadn't said a word since the trailer home incident and I could tell for once Fang wanted to talk.</p><p>"So." he said, finally breaking the silence, "What happened back there?" he wasn't looking at me, but at the desert floor for food.</p><p>"I-I don't know... I just... froze." I hated saying it. I knew Fang wanted me to be strong like him and Max and the others, but I wasn't! I stared at the floor as well.</p><p>Fang was quiet again, I couldn't help but look over at him. Huge mistake. He was looking right at me, worry evident in his eyes.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"You could have gotten really hurt, you know. What if they had attacked you? Would you even have fought back?!" he said.</p><p>I winced, I could tell he was angry and I hated it when he was angry at me. "Of course I would have!"</p><p>"Of course." he said sarcastically, "Just like all those other times at the School."</p><p>I stared at him in shock and he went back to looking at the Arizona desert. He wasn't just angry, he was furious! He was silent for the rest of the way. He found a small camp and we raided it, finding some kabobs. He wouldn't talk to me the whole way back, ignoring me when we finally got to the cave.</p><p>"Can I interest you in a bit of raw desert rat?" he asked Nudge, patting his pocket where he had stuffed the kabobs. He took one out and popped it in his mouth, "Can't get any fresher."</p><p>"Ugh!" Nudge exclaimed, turning away from him.</p><p>"Okay, then, how about some kabobs? You get the vegetables." Fang said, pulling them out. I silently added the ones I had snatched to the pile.</p><p>"Kabobs! Where did you get them? You didn't have time to go all the way to town. Oh, my gosh, they're still hot." Nudge gushed. </p><p>"Let's just say some campers are going to be a little surprised,"</p><p>"Now, this  is food." Nudge exclaimed.</p><p>"So, I guess we have to decide whether to keep looking for Max or to go try to save Angel," Fang pointed out while eating chunks of beef.</p><p>"But the Erasers said everyone else was dead. Doesn't that mean Angel and Max too? Nudge asked.</p><p>"They can't be." I whispered, though no one heard me, or at least no one commented.</p><p>"No way to tell. The thing is, if Max isn't here, is it because she's dead? How would they have found her? Angel... " he paused, "Well, we knew they had Angel. That's probably all over by now."</p><p>"I cant think about it." Nudge said with her head in her hands.</p><p>"I know. But what are your-" he froze, looking into the distance. Me and Nudge looked too, but she soon gave up. I kept looking, standing up to see better. Fang suddenly stood up and started flashing a mirror. Two big dots in the distance got closer and closer, turning quickly into the flying forms of the Gasman and Iggy! They crashed into the cave, knocking me to the floor and landing in a heap.</p><p>"You aren't dead!" Nudge cried.</p><p>"No. You aren't dead either. How about just 'hello'?" Iggy irritably said.</p><p>"Hi guys, we couldn't stay home- there's Erasers all over the mountain." Gazzy explained, "So we decided to come here. Anybody have a proble with that?"</p><p>"Nope!" I grinned, giving them both huge hugs...</p><p> </p><p>And that’s where I’ll have to stop for now! Hope you enjoyed, I think… please comment, I love hearing from my readers! </p><p>Peace out.</p><p>~Shadow Moon</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Entry 5: ATM Chapters 49-55</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shadow's version of chapters 49-55 of the first Maximum Ride book!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Can it just go without saying that most of the time I’m just gunna jump right into the story? It feels kinda awkward to say it every time… Oh well! Here I go!</p><p> </p><p>Not long after the boys had joined us we went outside and started flying with the hawks again. Fang was still giving me the silent treatment (I can tell because he only looks at me when he has too).</p><p>Nudge had a million questions for the boys, so I just let her talk, soaking in the sun as we flew. After a while a peaceful silence set over us. Suddenly, I saw Max flying below and grinned. Max is alive! Was all I could think. Fang silently took the lead and headed back into the cave.</p><p>The moment we landed Nudge went wild with excitement, “Max! Max! I can’t believe it! Can I believe it?” She squealed before Max then her then the rest of us landed in the cave. </p><p>Nudge gave Max a big hug, “We were so worried- I didn’t know what had happened to you, and we didn’t know what to do, and Fang said we were going to eat rats, and-“</p><p>“Okay, okay. Everything’s okay.” Max soothed, looking at my twin and mouthing Rats, “I’m just so glad to see you safe.” She turned to Gazzy and Iggy then, “What are you two doing here? Why didn’t you stay home?”</p><p>The Gasman and Iggy quickly explained. The moment they mentioned the bomb I couldn’t help but laugh, “Bomb?! Man! I should have just stayed with you two! It’s been so boring here waiting for Max to get back!” </p><p>Fang rolled his eyes and Max scolded them about the bomb. They found an amazing counter-argument that Max’s only response too was, “Well, I’m glad you’re safe. You were right to come here. Smart thinking. Excellent.” She hugged Gazzy, then Iggy and Nudge again. She turned to Fang and gave him an awkward hug before turning to me. I hugged her tight but let go quickly. </p><p>We stacked our fists against each other, tapped each twice, then threw our arms out into the air. “To Angel!” We all cried, running then leaping into the air. </p><p>Once we were high in the air and on our way Max spoke again, “Okay, how about some quick reports?”</p><p>“I tried to find my mom.” Nudge started.</p><p>“Whaaat? Your mom?” Max cried, eyes popping out of her head.</p><p>“I made Fang go down to Tipisco while we were waiting for you. We found the right address. I saw a woman, and she was my kind of color, but I wasn’t sure. Then the Erasers, including that dirtbag Ari, showed up, so we kicked butt and left.”</p><p>“Where was Shadow during all of this?” Gazzy asked, making me wince.</p><p>“Oh, she was with us. She encouraged me to go.” Nudge said. Fang made a snorting noice and I looked at him, he was rolling his eyes.</p><p>“So you didn’t talk to her? Umm, your mom?” Max asked.</p><p>“No.” Nudge said shortly, staring determinedly at her fingernails.</p><p>“Did she look nice?” Max prompted.</p><p>“I’ll tell you about it later.” Nudge shrugged. I flew closer to her, brushing my wing against hers.<br/>Max took another opportunity to shoot a glare and snide comment at the boys then told us something that stole the breath out of my lungs, “I think I have a tracer chip implanted in me. I’m not positive, but it showed up on an X-ray, and that’s what it looked like.” </p><p>Everyone stared at her, shocked. “You had an X-ray?” Fang exclaimed.</p><p>“Details later. If I do have this chip, it explains all the Erasers everywhere- but not why it’s taken them four years to hunt us down. And I don’t know if any of you have one.” She said. </p><p>We all went quiet, thinking about what we had just learned. We flew for a while with the hawks, Fang and Nudge showed the others some of the stuff we had learned from them. We kept flying through all sorts of terrains until the hawks left us and beyond. Eventually we landed in a small wood by a strip mall. Max declared we needed food and a map then her and Fang argued about the necessity of the map. </p><p>We walked up to the strip mall only to shrink back into the trees when a car drove up. The door opened and loud music spilled out. The jerk driving it was yelling at someone in the phone. He got money out of an ATM but before he drove off a black pickup truck drove up next to the jerks car, scratching it’s paint. The man got mad and yelled at the truck. The drivers side window opened and Ari stuck his head out, “What’d you say, dipstick?”</p><p>Everyone tensed at Max shushed us. The jerk got in his car and started driving, Ari following, laughing insanely.</p><p>“He gets around,” Fang whispered.</p><p>“Was Ari’s hair green?” Max asked.</p><p>“Yep,” Nudge responded, I held back a laugh. </p><p>Everyone looked at each other then the ATM then we hurried over to it. I watched the area nervously as the others figured out how to get the money. After a couple of tries Iggy got the password and 200$ were ours. After we got the money we hurried back to the woods. </p><p>“Too bad we couldn’t get more.” Fang said as he fingered through the 20$ bills.</p><p>“Too bad it wasn’t Ari’s money instead.” I laughed.</p><p>“Let’s go back to the gas station and but a bunch of food.” Nudge encouraged.</p><p>Max shook her head, “People there may have already seen us. We’ve got to get out of here.” </p><p>We watched a red van pull up behind a store and a guy walk out of it and go inside. Fang and Max looked at each other and Max frowned, “Money from a jerk is one thing, a car from just a guy is something else.”</p><p>The two started arguing about whether or not to steal the car and I rolled my eyes, walking out of the woods I went to study the car. The others soon followed and started getting the truck to start via hotwiring. Once it did start Max got in the drivers seat and we started on our way.</p><p>“Can I drive Max?” I asked earnestly. I was sitting on the floor between her and Fang. </p><p>“No.” She growled, taking a sharp, painful turn. I probably could have done a better job of driving. Max kept getting lost and eventually Fang convinced her to go to a town, eat, and find a map. After we parked at a restaurant everyone got out and Max let down the visor and the keys dropped on her lap. This time I laughed out loud.</p><p>“Well, that’ll simplify things.” Fang said.</p><p> </p><p>And this is where we’ll end for today! Hope you liked it! Please comment!</p><p>Keep Living!</p><p>~Shadow Moon</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Entry 6: Rescue Chapters 56-66</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shadow shares her side of chapters 56-66 of the first Maximum Ride book!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hello again everyone! Let me just say this, doing these blog post have brought back a rush of unwanted memories! Some good of course, but I had finally forgotten the bad and now they’re all back! Anywho, thanks for reading. Especially to those non-flock readers! Honestly, I’d rather the flock not ever read this… it’s like a brother or sister reading your diary! But anyways, I’m actually really proud of this entry- just so you know. Well, here it goes:</p><p> </p><p>We walked into the fast-food restaurant and went strait to the line, the smell of food all around us driving us crazy. I looked at the menu, trying to decided what to get.</p><p>“I don’t eat meat anymore,” I heard Nudge announce, “Not after seeing the hawks go through rabbits and snakes and other birds. It’s just icky.”</p><p>I chuckled as me and Fang went up to order. He ordered three double cheeseburgers, a chocolate shake, a soda three fries, and three apple pies. I was starving, but I was too nervous to eat as much as he got. Something felt off, but I couldn’t figure out what… In the end I ordered fries, one double cheeseburger, and a soda. As I walked with Fang to our seats I saw someone in the kitchen talking urgently on their phone in my peripheral vision. </p><p>As soon as everyone was seated we were all stuffing our faces like pigs. Me more slowly than the rest, but just as messy. I finished my food quickly, and kept looking around, practically jumping in my seat with nerves. I knew something was wrong, and that statement got confirmed when the seats of happy children and families and normal people were slowly replaced with male model looking men. Erasers.</p><p>I froze and elbowed Fang, he looked around calmly then got Max’s attention. “Nudge, Gazzy.” She whispered so quietly I almost didn’t hear her, “Don’t look up. In three seconds, jump over Fang and out that exit door.” The two gave no sign that they heard a word Max said, but sure enough three seconds later they booked it out to the car, us on their heels. We all jumped in and Max jammed the keys in the ignition then threw the car in reverse. We drove over the hedges around the restaurant and flew out into the traffic, barely dodging a big semi truck. Max wove in and out of the traffic, tires squealing and car tilting in ways that should have been impossible.</p><p>“It’s so bulky!” Max cried as we went on two wheels again.</p><p>“It’s a van!” Fang responded, white hands clutching his armrests. </p><p>We sped out of the town but we were still swerving because of Max’s terrible driving.</p><p>“I’m gonna stop! Jump out and get into the air as fast as you can!” Max demanded. We all yelled, “okay” in response. I suddenly had the feeling I should get in a seat belt so I scrambled off of the van floor and next to Iggy, putting his seatbelt on both of us, the others caught on and did the same. Max swerved into a tall cornfield in order to shake of the three black cars following. Without warning we were out of the cornfield and heading straight for a sedan at 60 miles an hour. We slammed into it and I was suddenly grateful I hadn’t been sitting on the floor still!</p><p>Black dots clouded my vision and the van spun around me.</p><p>“Report!” Max weakly called.</p><p>“Okay here.” I heard Fang say, relief flooded though me.</p><p>“Okay here.” Nudge said, her voice shaking. Max looked back at her and I saw her face was covered in blood.</p><p>“It’s just my nose. Head wounds always bleed a lot.” Max rushed, “Look, it’s already stopping.”</p><p>“I feel like, like pudding. Pudding with nerve endings.” Iggy said from next to me, “Pudding in great pain.”</p><p>“I second that statement.” I said, my throat hurt from the seatbelt.</p><p>Gazzy spoke up next, “I feel sick.” Just after he spoke the windows broke all around us as Erasers with guns smashed them open. One of them reached in and yanked Max out and I hurried to take off the seatbelt. They got Fang too.</p><p>“Run!” Max screamed from outside. I felt myself freezing against my will my mind screamed to move! Move! Move! But I couldn’t. </p><p>Iggy slammed open our door and grabbed my wrist, yanking me out, Gazzy behind me. He leaped into the air and I was just able to unfurl my wings and flap when he yanked me up, Gazzy next to him. We flew higher and higher into the sky, out of rang for the Eraser’s bullets. </p><p>Gazzy glanced back then hurried and looked forward, deathly pale. I started to turn my head too, “Don’t look back, Shadow.” Iggy and Gazzy said at the same time, though I wasn’t sure how Iggy knew what I was about to do.</p><p>“Are they okay?!” I asked Gazzy. </p><p>He shook his head slowly. “They got them.” We heard a chopper approach and picked up our speed. Luckily it seemed to be heading for the others and probably didn’t even see us. </p><p>“Well what are we going to do?” I said, starting to panic. This could not be happening! Not only was Angel taken now, but Max, Nudge and- and Fang too!</p><p>Iggy was flying determinedly, a destination clearly in his mind. “Now we rescue them, just like was already the plan. The only difference is that we have to rescue the others along with Angel.” His voice was shaky but I could tell he had a plan.</p><p>“How? There’s just three of us!” Gazzy asked.</p><p>“Shadow? You know that thing you used to do with the animals around the house? Do you think you could do it with the hawks?” Iggy asked. Back at the house I used to turn into the wolf and communicate with the wildlife somehow. It was more instinct than anything else, but they always listened. Once I got a whole group of bunnies to come over and play with us. It was odd, you’d think if they saw a wolf they’d all run the other way, but apparently I was the opposite of scary…</p><p>“Yea?” I said, not sure where he was going with this.</p><p>“Do you think you could get them to fly with us to the School and attack the whitecoats and Erasers?” He pondered, I could see where he was going with this now.</p><p>I thought for a second. It would take a lot of loyalty on their place, they’d have to leave their young… but it was possible they would do it thanks to the time we spent with them… “Maybe… but I’m not even sure they’ll react to my wolf form the same way the animals back home did…”</p><p>“Can you try?” Gazzy said, eager now.</p><p>“Of course…” </p><p>We flew as fast as we could back to the hawks, but I worried we weren’t fast enough. As we flew we planned as much as was possible. The moment we got back to the cave I turned into the wolf and worked my magic. I faced the cliff of hawks and lowered down until I was laying down. They all watched me and a couple flew down to get a closer look. I just held still, occasionally making odd humming noises that came from the back of my throat. The hawks squawked at each other and at me I kind of felt what they were saying and knew they would help. I turned back and Iggy and Gazzy came to me.</p><p>“Did it work?!” Gazzy asked.</p><p>“Yes.” I said, certain now. “They’ll come.”</p><p>Iggy looked in their direction, “Do you think… do you think they’ll come even if you weren’t with us?” </p><p>I scowled, “What do you mean by that?” I folded my arms across my chest, looking between him and the Gasman. Gazzy was staring at the floor.</p><p>“I just mean that I don’t think it would be smart if we all went back. Besides, what if you froze again? You could get hurt, or captured! Even if we rescued them you could get caught!” Iggy said, staring anywhere but my direction.</p><p>I frowned, he was starting to sound like Fang and Max! “You’re not going to leave me behind.”<br/>Iggy suddenly looked very determined and looked strait at me, “Why not? What help would you be in a fight? Face it, Shadow, you can’t even hurt an Eraser!”</p><p>“Says the blind one!” I cried angrily. Wincing at the harshness of my own words.</p><p>“At least I can hold my own in a fight!” He yelled back.</p><p>“Guys! Cut it out! We’re already taking too long!” Gazzy interrupted. “Shadow, what if you came but stayed in the air to lead the hawks? That way you could help but not be in range of the Erasers?” </p><p>I thought for a minute then nodded, “Fine. That works, I guess…” </p><p>I leaped into the air before they could change their mind and make me stay, followed by the two boys and a whole lot of hawks…</p><p>By the time we got the the school it had been at least 4 or 5 hours since the others had been taken. We flew over the school and I immediately saw them all in the yard. Ari was flinging a cage with Max in it around in an angry rage. Angel was out of her cage already, flapping her wings like crazy to stay in the air. I made a small, instinctual noise and the hawks dive-bombed the whitecoats and Erasers. Fang was freed and I tried to keep watching but I felt the usual panic flooding in me that came before freezing. I forced myself to look away and trust that the hawks and the flock were enough to get everyone away. Soon enough we were all in the air. Max told Fang to help Angel and him and the Gasman each took one of her arms and pulled her into the sky with us. </p><p>I was about to ask if everyone was okay when I heard a familiar voice below, “Max!” We all looked down and what I saw confused me. “Maximum!” It was Jeb! “Max! Please! This was all a test! Don’t you get it? You were safe here! This was only a test! You have to trust me- I’m the only one you can trust! Please! Come back- let me explain!” </p><p>I stared at him. Jeb was alive! He was alive, and back with the whitecoats! What the heck was going on?! </p><p>Max sighed and shook her head, “I don’t think so.” She said, flying up to where we waited for her. </p><p>Once the school was out of sight I couldn’t help but fly next to Max, questions flooding into my mind, “Was that really Jeb?!” </p><p>Max nodded, her expression unreadable. “Yea, and he’s one of them.” She sighed then we were all quiet. 2 hours later we got to the cliff I flew ahead and landed so I could turn into a wolf and thank the hawks. Luckily none of them had been hurt. I turned back to normal just as the others landed. We all went into the cave an collapsed on the floor. Max sat next to Angel and started stroking her hair, relief on her face.</p><p>“I thought I would never see you again! They did all kinds of things to me, Max.” Angel cried, “Terrible. Terrible. Terrible.”</p><p>“I would never quit trying to get you back. There’s no way I would ever let them keep you.” Max soothed, “They would have to kill me first.”</p><p>Angel spoke, her voice breaking, “They almost did.” Max hugged her tight.</p><p>“This is how it should be forever. All of us together.” Iggy said. I was sitting with Fang on one side of me, my hand squeezing his, and Iggy on my other. We were leaning against a wall facing the canyon. Max held out her left fist and Fang put his on top of it, the rest of us followed suit. </p><p>“I’m just… so thankful.” We all looked at her in surprise, I grinned. “I mean, this made me realize how much we all need one another. I need all of you. I love you all. But five of us, or three of us, or two of us isn’t us. Us is all seven.” </p><p>I could tell Fang and Iggy were uncomfortable at Max’s declaration-boys- but the rest of us got it, “I love you too, Max! I love all of us too!” Nudge said, hugging Max tight.</p><p>“Yea, me too. I don’t care if we have our house, or a cliff ledge, or a cardboard box.” The Gasman said, “Home is where we all are, together.” Max hugged him and he cuddled up to her, happy to have us all together again. </p><p>I didn’t say anything, but I moved over and hugged Angel gently. Wanting to squeeze her I was so happy she was okay and with us again, but not wanting to hurt her. She hugged me back and Nudge joined us.</p><p>When night fell we were deep asleep but awoke in the middle of the night to a major rain storm. We all got up and hurried outside to feel the miracle rain wash away the grime that covered each of us. It was cold, but wonderful at the same time. I looked over at Max and saw Fang rubbing the cold out of her arms. I couldn’t help but listen to what Max said, “Jeb knows our house.”</p><p>“Can’t ever go back.” Fang nodded, “Guess we need a new home.” I heard Max tell him we would go east but wasn’t listening. We could never go home, things would never be the same. We would never sit on top of our roof and watch the sunset over our mountain rage before bed again. I would never spend a night in me and Fang’s room again, sometimes staying up and talking to him like he never would with anyone else. I looked at Fang and wondered if he was still angry with me. Would me and my brother ever be the same again? Would we ever just talk like we used to?</p><p>I was pulled out of my worried thoughts when I felt Iggy’s slender hands slide into mine, “You did good back there, Shadow. I don’t think we could have gotten them out of there without the hawks…”</p><p>I looked at him. His eyes were closed and his pale face was pointing up at the raining sky. “I still wish I could have done more.” I whispered back, staring at the floor. After a few moments I squeezed his hand, “I’m sorry I got mad at you… You were right. I almost froze even up in the sky…” I winced at the memory, “I guess I just- I just hate feeling useless…” I wanted to say more but my throat was closing up and I knew that if I tried I would start crying.</p><p>“You’re not useless, Shads.” He said firmly, “It’s not a bad thing to not want to hurt people, but sometimes you need to to protect yourself and your family.” </p><p>“I know. I just…” I hesitated, not wanting to admit this to anyone, “Now whenever I see an Eraser all I can think of is what happened back when we were at the school. I freeze up. No matter how hard I scream at myself in my head, I can’t move!” I stop, sucking in a shuddered breath. When I speak again my voice is a mere whisper, “I want to help, but I- I can’t…” My voice broke and I turned my head away, glad he couldn’t see. </p><p>Iggy was silent for a moment then he pulled me into a hug, “Don’t worry about it, okay?” I could tell by his tone that he was definitely worried, but nodded into his shirt anyways…</p><p> </p><p>Well, that’s it for now! Hope ya’ll like/loved this chapter! PLEASE comment on any with any thoughts or feelings or questions you’ve had on this entry or any of the others! I love to hear form ya’ll!</p><p>(If you have any sign off suggestions, please tell!)</p><p>Live on!</p><p>~Shadow Moon</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Entry 7: New York Chapters 67-86</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shadow tells her side of chapters 67-86</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I’m just gonna go ahead and get started, K? K.</p><p> </p><p>We got up early the next morning and got started flying east for no apparent reason. It was quite early and most of the younger kids were only half awake, but I felt full of energy. After about 10 minutes of flying Fang flew up next to me, his wings brushing against mine. </p><p>“Hey.” He said, looking strait ahead.</p><p>“Oh, so you’re talking to me now?” I couldn’t help but be sarcastic.</p><p>“Yes.” He said, unrepentant, “Figured I’d thank you for what you did with the hawks yesterday.”</p><p>I rolled my eyes, “Well I couldn’t just let Angel, Max, and Nudge stay at the School, now could I?”</p><p>He let out a small laugh and I looked at him, he was grinning, “So it had nothing to do with me?”</p><p>“Nope. I wanted to leave you behind, but you tagged along before we could ditch you.” This time he actually laughed, earning some strange looks from the flock. We didn’t say much else, but I felt that gap that Fang had put between us with his silent treatment was gone. At least until next time I froze…</p><p>We flew for a few more hours above the clouds in the cold, bright, sunny sky. </p><p>Nudge was talking senselessly to Max when suddenly Max’s wings stopped flapping and she started falling, fast. </p><p>“Fang!” I cried, but he was already diving down to catch her. We all went down and joined him, he kept flying and we were all dead silent with worry. </p><p>Slowly Max opened her eyes, looking at Fang, “Man, you weigh a freaking ton. What’ve you been eating, rocks?” Fang asked her.</p><p>“Why, is your head missing some?” Max said, her voice raspy. Fang almost smiled, he had been as worried as the rest of us.</p><p>“Max, are you okay?” Nudge asked her, fear in her eyes.</p><p>“Uh-huh.” She responded casually, “Find a place to land, please.”</p><p>We found a place to land and we set up camp, all of us keeping a nervous eye on Max, half expecting her to collapse in pain again at any minute. Max yelled at them to be careful not to start a forest fire and we knew she was feeling better. Not long later we had the food we had picked up out and we were testing which foods were good roasted over a fire. We got some interesting results… I kept trying to roast canned peaches over it, but they would always slip off of the stick so I gave up.</p><p>After a while we slowly started to sit back and relax. I felt my muscles un-tensing for the first time in days! Angel moved over by Max and started talking to her until she said she had a secret from when she was at the School about where we came from.</p><p>“What do you mean sweetie?” Max asked.</p><p>“I heard stuff,” she said, so quiet I almost didn’t hear her.</p><p>“Stuff people said or stuff people thought?” Max prompted.</p><p>“Stuff people thought.” She listened to Max’s thoughts, “No, I want to tell you this now. I mean, it’s just stuff I sort of heard. I didn’t understand all of it- chunks were missing. And it was from a couple different people.”</p><p>“From Jeb?”</p><p>“No. I didn’t hear anything from him at all. Nothing, It was like he was dead. They kept doing tests, you know, and they were all thinking about me, about the flock, like, wondering where you were and if you would try to come get me.”</p><p>“Which we did.” Max interrupted.</p><p>“Yea. Anyways, I found out that another place has information about us- like where we came from.”</p><p>Max sat up in surprise, “Whaat? Like our life span? Or where they got our DNA?” Angel nodded.</p><p>“Well, spill it!” Iggy demanded. Max seemed to have just noticed that the rest of us were listening. </p><p>“They have files on us, like, the main files. They’re in New York. At a place called the Institute.</p><p>The others talked about exactly where this place was exactly then after a few minutes Angel spoke up again.”There’s more.” She said, burying her face in Max’s shoulder, “You know how we always talk about our parents but didn’t really know if we were made in test tubes?”</p><p>“I saw my name in Jeb’s old files. I really did.” Nudge spoke up.</p><p>“I know Nudge, listen to Angel for a minute.” Max said.</p><p>“Nudge is right, we did have parents- real parents” Angel blurted, “We weren’t made in test tubes. We were born, like real babies. We were born from human mothers”</p><p>Silence fell over everyone. We were all shocked. My mind span like, Parents? Really? Though I had never told anyone I always just assumed that we probably didn’t have parents.</p><p>“You’ve sat on this since yesterday? What’s the matter with you?” Iggy said, angry, “Just because you’re the youngest doesn’t mean you have to be the dumbest!”</p><p>Max took a breath, “Look, lets all calm down and let Angel talk. Can you tell us everything you heard?”</p><p>“I only got bits and pieces. I’m sorry, everybody. Iv’e just felt yucky… and it all makes me really, really sad too. I don’t wanna cry again. Awhh, I’m crying again.” Angel sobbed.</p><p>Fang soothed Angel in a low voice, “It’s okay, Angel. We understand. You’re safe now, here with us.”</p><p>Apparently they got the avian DNA in us during a test at the hospitals or something like that. The doctors told Nudge’s parents she was dead and gave her to the School. When Angel told Iggy that his mom had died giving birth to him I reached over and squeezed his hand. The Gasman and Angel’s parents had willingly given the two to the School for money. </p><p>“Did you hear anything about me and Shadow? Or Max?” Fang asked stiffly. I leaned my head on his shoulder.</p><p>“You and Shadow’s mom thought you died, like Nudge. She was a teenager. They don’t know who your guys’s dad was. But they told your guy’s mom that you two died…” Fang had been holding a twig which snapped in two. I felt the blood drain from me face and I stared determinedly at  the forest floor. All I could think was, Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry! I had parents! Yea my mom was a teenager and who knows who my dad was, but I wasn’t made in a test tube! I remained still and motionless as the others talked about what they had learned.  I only realized that the others were going to bed around me when Fang put a gentle arm on my shoulder and laid me down. Thinking I was asleep he went to the fire where Max was and spoke quietly to her, but not so quiet that I couldn’t hear.</p><p>“So maybe you were hatched after all.” Fang teased her. I faintly recalled Angel saying she heard nothing about Max’s parents.</p><p>Max laughed humorlessly, “Yea. Maybe so. Maybe they found me in a cabbage patch.”</p><p>“In a way your lucky, not knowing is better.” Fang responded quietly. “It leaves all of the possibilities open. Your story could be worse, but it could also be a heck of a lot better.” He was quiet for a moment then spoke again, “A teenager, jeez! She was probably a crack addict or something.” I winced then tried to stay still. These were things he would only say to Max and I wanted to know what he was thinking.</p><p>“Maybe not,” Max shrugged, “Maybe she was nice kid who just made a mistake. At least she wanted to actually wait the nine months and have you two. Maybe she would have kept you or let a really nice family adopt you.</p><p>“On the one hand, we have a mythical nice family that wants to adopted me. On the other, we have a gang of insane scientists desperate to do genetic experiments on innocent children. Guess which hand I got dealt.” Fang said. After that they didn’t speak again and Fang soon laid between me and Gazzy, I fell asleep not much later…</p><p>The next morning I woke up to the loud noice of popcorn popping. At fist I had thought it was guns and it woke me up like nothing else. Luckily it was a lot more tasty than that… Max declared we were going to New York and after we ate we took off, only to stop when Max cried out and fell back to the floor. We all hurried next to her and Fang gently touched her shoulder, “Max? Is it like before?” He asked, but she didn’t- couldn’t respond. After about 20 long minutes of watching Max squirm in pain she got up shakily and threw up into some bushes then laid on her back, breathing hard. We all gathered around her.</p><p>“Max, what is the matter  with you? Angel asked, terrified.</p><p>“Think you should see a doctor?” Fang asked.</p><p>Max quickly shot that idea down, saying it was probably a bad stomach bug and suggested we start to New York. She may have been able to fool the others, but Fang and I looked at each other and I rolled my eyes. He told her to go first and she did, shakily taking of into the sky. We all followed, my muscles were tense again, waiting for her to fall again. </p><p>The fly to New York was long and we got there when it was dark after several rest stops for food and stuff. New York was big and bright even though the sun was set. Iggy heard a concert below and Max agreed to fly down to it. The others enjoyed themselves, but there were too many people for my taste. Gazzy sat on Iggy’s shoulders and waved a lighter in the air. When it was over we all climbed into the trees to sleep. Exhausted I fell asleep instantly…</p><p>The next morning we got up early and climbed out of the tree and started to walk along Central Park. Every time a dog passed us they would bark like crazy! Some would even try to pull away from their owners and smell us- especially me- like, Ohhh, these things smell weird! Are they edible? </p><p>We bought some honey-roasted peanuts and some of the others went to look at a clown selling balloons. I suddenly got a strong feeling like we should keep walking and sure enough Max motioned for us all to start walking, quick. We weaved our way through the people, going faster and faster. I looked back and started to look back to see what the problem was but Fang grabbed my hand and pulled me forward at a faster pace. </p><p>“Run!” Max yelled, and we did. Knockng over anyone who was in our way.</p><p>“Four of them! Pour it on, guys!” Fang shouted a moment later. Before we knew it Max yelled that there was 6 of them now. 6 Erasers on our tail.</p><p>“They’re too fast, maybe we should fly.” Fang huffed to Max, keeping a strong hand around mine. Max hesitated and Fang continued, “Eight of them!”</p><p>“Left!” Iggy instructed and we all obeyed without question. Up ahead of us was Central Park Zoo. Hundreds of children were crowding to get in and Max told us to merge. I ducked in with the children, trying to look shorter. The cop at the entrance told the Erasers to go away because it was a “School day only”. We were waved into the zoo without another thought and once we were safe inside Gazzy, Nudge, and Angel jumped around excitedly.</p><p>“Come on, let’s go farther in, put some distance between us and them.” Iggy said, shuffling nervously from one foot to the other, “Jeez, was that a lion? Please tell me it’s behind bars.”</p><p>“It’s a zoo, Iggy. Everything is behind bars.” Nudge said, taking his arm and leading the way further in.</p><p>No offense to those of you who work at zoos or love them, but I personally think they suck. Seeing all those animals in cages had me thinking about the school and I felt like flying out of there ASAP(Which I recently found out means As Soon As Possible!). I felt myself freezing up and randomly felt very determined to at least try and enjoy myself like they younger kids were doing with ease. I did pretty good- if I do say so myself- but I was ever so grateful when Max asked if we could all leave. </p><p>I practically jogged out, feeling instantly relieved when we were out. </p><p>We wandered the streets of New York, buying whatever food looked good. It was actually kind of fun, if I tried to ignore the constant stream of people that could actually be Erasers. Max seemed oddly excited about the cookies we bought. After a while we sat down in front of a building and talked about what we would do next. “How about a phone book? Every once and a while I see one.” Fang suggested. I stretched my aching legs out in front of me.</p><p>“Yea, that’s a possibility…” Max said, frowning. She looked kind of dizzy but I shrugged it off.</p><p>“So what are we going to do?” Iggy asked impatiently.</p><p>Max nudge her head to the building we were sitting on the steps of. “We’re going to start in here.” She clapped her hands twice and we got up, “I figure they’ve got computers, databases…” she shrugged, heading up the steps to what I now saw was a library.<br/>“How does she do that?” Fang asked Iggy and we all went inside.</p><p>We spent a couple of hours at the library but came up empty handed. We decided to take the subway home but the train took forever. We ended up in a homeless city in the subway and decided to sleep there. I laid down and instantly fell asleep, not waking up until morning…</p><p> </p><p>And that’s where I’ll end for now. Hope you enjoyed and please, please, please comment! I love to hear from you all!</p><p>(I NEED A GOOD SIGN OFF!!!)</p><p>………..</p><p>~Shadow Moon</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Entry 8: Foresight Chapters 87-100</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shadow tells her side of chapters 87-100</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I’m just gonna jump right into the story:</p><p> </p><p>A hand gently shook my shoulder and unlike those moments where you wake up in a new place and have no idea where you are, the hard ground and smelly air queued me in instantly. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to fall back asleep. I had been having a dream about our house, it was amazing.</p><p>“Shadow, wake up!” Iggy said gently, “We’re gonna go get something to eat.” </p><p>The moment he mentioned food I sat up, starving, “I’m up! Lets go get foooood!” Iggy laughed and Fang helped me stand up. </p><p>We worked our way out of the subway tunnels and were welcomed back into the city by the smell of honey-roasted peanuts. We immediately bought them and started strolling down the street. Max went to the first phone book she saw but we had no luck there. We kept walking and the weirdest thing happened when we passed an electronic store! All the TV screens suddenly had the words Good morning, Max all across them.</p><p>Fang froze and breathed, “Jeez.”</p><p>“What? What is it?” Iggy asked. I looked from the screen to Max, she was as surprised as the rest of us. </p><p>“Is that you? How do they know you?” Gazzy asked Max.</p><p>Max looked like she was listening to something the rest of us couldn’t hear. Then she suddenly stopped walking and blurted, “I don’t want to have fun! I want some answers!”</p><p>I stared at her in concern. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was going completely nuts.</p><p>“Max, are you okay?” Nudge questioned.</p><p>Max nodded convincingly, “I think we should get on the Madison Avenue bus.” She declared.</p><p>“Why?” Fang asked. I looked at him and he seemed thoughtful. It occurred to me that he might know more about what the heck was happening then I did.</p><p>Max turned so we couldn’t see and mouthed something to him. Fang whispered something back, seeming hesitant.</p><p>“I don’t know!” She responded more loudly, “But maybe we should do what it says for a while— to see.”</p><p>“Do what what says?” Gazzy demanded. </p><p>“Max has been hearing a voice, inside her. We don’t know what it is.” Fang explained.</p><p>“Like her conscience? Do the TVs have anything to do with it?” Nudge asked.</p><p>“We don’t know. Right now it wants us to get on the Madison Avenue bus, apparently.” Fang shrugged.</p><p>“Oh, so of course we listen to the voice in Max’s head.” I said, rolling my eyes, “I thought there was a rule against not listening to strangers?”</p><p>Fang frowned at me and we started walking to the bus we got in to the cramped space. So cramped we had to stand up! Maybe Max’s voice was trying to make us die of claustrophobia! Without warning Max shooed us all out of the bus and we got out in front of a HUGE toy store!<br/>“If this voice is leading us to a toy store, I might just learn to like it!” I laughed. We all went inside, awed at the awesomeness that awaited us. There was literally every toy I could think of- you know, besides Shadow Moon action figures… </p><p>Me, Iggy, and the Gasman all went directly to the lego room, Fang following behind. As we wandered the room we explained all of the cool things made with the legos to Iggy, Gazzy was practically jumping with excitement. It wasn’t long after we went in the room, however, when Max called for Fang and we all went back to her.</p><p>Max looked like she had seen a ghost, or thought she did. I was seriously starting to question her sanity, “Let’s get out of here.” She said “A Ouija board just told me to save the world.”</p><p>“Gosh, you’re famous.” Gazzy said.</p><p>“Where’s Angel?” Fang asked, looking around. We saw her talking to a woman, holding a stuffed bear dressed as an angel. I had an odd feeling that she would end up with a new toy to add to her now non-existent collection.</p><p>“What’s she up…” Fang began.</p><p>“Someone’s buying something for Angel.” Iggy told us. What can I say? I could make a living telling peoples fortunes and have them be true half the time!</p><p>The woman bought the bear for Angel and she thanked her over and over and over. The women smiled, looking dazed, then left the store. We all hurried to Angel.</p><p>“What was that about? Why did that woman buy you that bear? That thing cost forty-nine dollars!” Max started, shocked.</p><p>“What did you say to her? No one’s buying us stuff!” Iggy demanded.</p><p>“Nothing, I just asked that lady if she would but me this bear, ‘cause I really, really wanted it and I didn’t have enough money.” Angel said, cuddling her bear.</p><p>“Can you try that for me? Because I have quite a few things I want from this store and don’t have enough money for!” I asked. Fang glared at me and I laughed, “Only joking!” </p><p>When we were back outside Max spoke to Angel again, “So you just asked a stranger to buy you an expensive toy, and she did?”</p><p>Angel nodded, “Yea. I just asked her to buy it for me. You know, with my mind.”  </p><p>Fang and Max looked at each other in surprise. For some reason her statement didn’t surprise me. I kinda felt like I saw this coming. I mean, what’s one step away from reading minds? Controlling them.</p><p>“Um, what do you mean, exactly?” Max asked Angel.</p><p>“I just asked her, in my mind.” Angel replied while straitening the bears wings, “And she said okay. And she bought it for me. I’m going to call it Celeste.” She declared.</p><p>“Angel, are you saying that you influenced that woman so she would but you the bear?” Max question, trying to stay calm.</p><p>“Celeste. What’s influenced?” Angel asked.</p><p>“To have an effect on something or someone. It sounds like you sort of made that woman buy you the bear-“</p><p>“Celeste.” Angel corrected.</p><p>“Celeste, whether she wanted to or not. Do you see what I’m saying?” Max questioned.</p><p>Angel looked uncomfortable as she replied, “Well, I really wanted Celeste. More than anything in the whole wide world.”</p><p>Max looked like she was going to say something else but stopped and sighed. I had a feeling she planned to have a talk to Angel about this later, so I didn’t say the million things on my mind. Angel put Celeste in her waistband and we went to get lunch and ate it as we walked. I looked at Angel. She looked like a little angel, but her actions spoke otherwise. Though I wasn’t surprised by her actions at the toy store, I was still disturbed. What was up with her? She knew what she did was wrong and yet she did it anyways… I just hoped this was the last time… I winced away from the sudden feeling I got that it wasn’t the last time, but the moment I had it I couldn’t shake it. Like with when I had the feeling to buckle up back in the van, and all the other times like it.</p><p>Maybe I was going insane, like Max. Maybe we were both sane and it was just more whitecoat inflicted craziness that was the cause of her voice and my weirdly accurate fore-sight…</p><p>“We’re surrounded.” Max muttered, Fang looked around but didn’t see anything and Max continued, “We’re waisting time, we need to find the Institute. Discover our histories and destinies. We don’t need to go to toy stores. We’ve got to get serious about this.”</p><p>Fang started to say something but Max held up a finger, listening. “Of course I’m not relaxing! We need to find the Institute!” Max hissed quietly, “We’re running out of money! We’re constantly in danger!”</p><p>We all stopped and stared at her. On second thought, maybe Max was going insane.</p><p>“What’s wrong, Max?” Gazz asked.</p><p>She took a deep breath, calming a little, “I feel like I’m going to explode. Three days ago, Angel said she’d heard there was more info about us in a place called the Institute, in New York. More info. This could be what we’ve always wanted to know.”</p><p>“ ‘Cause we might find out about our parents?” Iggy said.</p><p>“Yes, but now we’re here, and really weird things are happening, and I’m not sure—“ Max started before getting interrupted.</p><p>“Hello, kids!” A voice of my nightmares said. Two Erasers suddenly leaped out in front of us. Angel screamed and Max pulled Angel in front of her before turning around. Fang grabbed my hand and yanked me forward as the others started running. Max yelled at us to cross the busy street and we did. Me and Fang looked back at the source of a loud thunk and we saw that a bicycle had hit one of the Erasers. I actually laughed!</p><p>“Bicycle messenger took an Eraser out!” Fang shouted to the others. </p><p>I paled and let go of Fang’s hand, spinning around. Something bad was about to happen, I felt it. Not even a second later I heard Angel scream and saw Max being yanked over an Eraser’s back and the Eraser start running the other way. Fang immediately started running after them and I hurried to Angel- who was still screaming- and hugged her tight. The others joined us and we hurried after Fang and Max and the stupid Eraser.</p><p>When we caught up the Eraser was lying face down on the floor. Angel flung herself into Max’s arms and started sobbing. Fang calmly flipped up the Erasers collar and we saw the tattoo: 11-00-07.</p><p>I felt that a cop was coming and sure enough a second later a cop drove up. We back away from the crowd and Fang shouted, “Crazy drug addict!” As we went.</p><p>We exited the scene quickly and Max put Angel down, still holding her hand. I took deep breaths, trying to calm down. At least this time I didn't get the chance to freeze. I thought sourly. The only reason I hadn't frozen was because it had happened too fast.</p><p>"So he was five years old." Fang quietly said.</p><p>Max nodded, "Made in November, year 2000, number seven of a batch. They're not lasting too long, are they?"</p><p>"What happened back there?" I demanded.</p><p>"I'm not sure... The Eraser was running and I was doing everything I could to break away, but nothing was effecting him. Then he just fell over, dead..." Max explained.</p><p>"Weird..." I muttered. We kept walking in silence.  </p><p>Once again I got the feeling and I turned around and Max was showing Fang a card, he looked suprised. Max pauses to listen to something then says to Fang, "I can use it if I can figure out the password."</p><p>He nodded, "Okay."</p><p>Max tucks the card in her pocket and sighs, "Let's just get into the park. Nice, safe, Central Park,"</p><p>He nods and I turn around and keep walking. When we get to the park we picked a random tree and climbed it. </p><p>Once we were all comforable Max whispered something to Fang. A useless attempt, most of us could hear her anyways, "How can the Voice know where I am and what I can see?"</p><p>"It's inside you. It's wherever you are." he answered, "If it's tapped into your senses, it knows where you are and what you are doing."</p><p>"Even in the bathroom?" Gazzy spoke up, eyes wide and amused. Angel was smoothing Celeste down and Nudge was trying not to grin. Max glared at the Gasman. </p><p>"That would be awkward. I wonder if it's a guy or a girl?" I say, trying to look completely serious but holding back a laugh. When Max turned and glared at me I couldn't hold it back anymore and started laughing. Gazzy soon followed. </p><p>As Max pulled out the jerk's card and compared it to hers, I put my legs out in front of me and put my hands behing me head. The weather was nice and all I wanted to do was fly through the air and forget my loooong list of worries. </p><p>A soft breaze was blowing so I pulled my long hair out of it's ponitail and let the wind pull at it. Before I could put another thought to today's events I was fast asleep...</p><p>I woke up later that night and looked down to see a cop climbing out of a police car. That feeling had woken me and oddly enough I was having a dream about this exact scene.</p><p>"It is unlawful to climb trees in the Central Park." the cop said through a PA system, waking up the others.</p><p>"How did they even know we were up here?" Gszzy asked, "Who looks up into a tree?"</p><p>The cop repeats what she said before adding, "Please come down at once." this time.</p><p>"Okay, guys. Get down; try to look normal. When we're on the ground, we'll make a run for it. If we get seperated, connect up at, like, Fifty-fourth Street and Fifth Avenue. Comprende?" Max instructed. We all nodded and climbed down the tree.</p><p>"There are signs posted everywhere clearly stating that climbing the trees is fobidden." The cop said as we started backing away slowly.</p><p>"Are you runaways? We'll take you somewhere. You can make phone calls, call you folks." The girl cop asked. </p><p>More police cars pulled up and Max whisper, "Now!" and we all ran away from them, top spead.</p><p>"Celeste!" Angel screamed and she turned back to get it, Max turned back to get her. Max grabbed her and dragged her away, passing her to Fang once she caught up. Angel kept crying for her bear and Max promiced to get her another one.</p><p>"Have we lost 'em?" the Gasman called. </p><p>Max called back, "No!" and poured on more speed.  We ran, the cops slowly gaining and Fang and Max tried to figure out what to do next. Following their lead we turned east on Fifty-first street. To my great relief it was a one way street. The cops would have to go around. </p><p>I suddenly had a crystal clear vision of us all going into a church like building. I stopped and looked around, seeing the one in my vision. </p><p>Nudge looked around too when I did and asked, "What's that?" she pointed at the church. </p><p>The others skidded to a halt and looked where she was pointing.</p><p>"Is it a museum?" the Gasman asked.</p><p>"No," Max said, reading the sign, "It's Saint Patrick's Cathedral. It's a church."</p><p>"A church! I've never been in one. Can we go?" Nudge pleeded. </p><p>Max looked hesitant but Fang muttered, "Sanctuary." and she relented. We went inside. Just like my vision. </p><p>Once we were inside I looked around and saw people praying at pews. I clearly saw us doing the same and rubbed my eyes. What the heck was going on with me?</p><p>"What are those people doing?" Angel whispered.</p><p>"I think they're praying." Max whispered back to her.</p><p>"Let's pray too." Angel said, walking over to an empty pew. The others followed her in and I did the same, completely weirded out as my vision played out in front of me.</p><p>They mimicked the other people around us and I followed their lead.</p><p>"What are we praying for?" the Gasman asked softly.</p><p>"Um- anything you want?" Max responded.</p><p>"We're praying to God, right?" Nudge checked.</p><p>"I think that's the general idea," Max shrugged.</p><p>"Dear God, I want real parents. But I want them to want me too. I want them to love me. I already love them.  Please see what you can do. Thanks very much. Love, Nudge." she said under her breath. </p><p>Angel spoke next, her eyes squeezed shut and looking adorable, "Please get Celeste back to me, and help me to grow up to be like Max. And keep everyone safe. And do something bad to the bad guys. They should not be able to hurt us anymore."</p><p>"I want to be able to see stuff." Iggy prayed, "Like I used to, when I was little. And I want to be able to totally kick Jeb's butt. Thank you."</p><p>"God, I want to be big and strong. So I can help Max, and other people too." Gazzy prayed. <br/>I sighed and decided it was worth a shot. Even if nothing came from it, it might feel good to try? "Hey up there..." I muttered quietly, "I don't know if you can hear this, or if your even there, but if you can, please help me to stop freezing up at any sign of Erasers so I can protect my family. And please help me learn to fight back. Also, if there was any way you could help me figure out whats going on with my brain every once and  a while, that would be a great help. Thanks." I finished, feeling self-conscious. I glanced over and saw Fang watching me steadily. I winced and looked away quickly.  Still feeling his eyes on me.</p><p>We stayed there, quiet and peaceful, for who knows how long. Then I randomly saw a vision of Max getting the pain and started watching her in consern. </p><p>She had turned to Fang and started, "Should we-" but suddenly stop and closed her eyes in pain. Just like my vision. Jeez this was getting creepy! After a few minutes she took a couple deep breaths and looked at us.</p><p>"Can you walk?" Fang asked, tence. Max nodded yes. We went outside, Fang sticking close to Max as if worried she would fall back down at any moment. </p><p>As soon as we were out of the crowd Max stopped, "I saw Thirty-first Street, in my head, and a bunch of numbers." she said.</p><p>"Which means..." Iggy prompted.</p><p>"I don't know, maybe the Institute is on Thirty-first Street?" she guessed.</p><p>"That would be nice. East or West?" Fang asked.</p><p>"I don't know." Max shrugged. I listened but didn't speak. Feeling dizzy and sick. The constant visions had made my sight blurry and that always gave me headaches.</p><p>"Did you see anything else?" Fang patiently continued.</p><p>"Well, a bunch of numbers, and a tall, kind of greenish building." Max listed.</p><p>"We should just walk all the way down Thirty-first Street, the whole way, looking for that building." Nudge suggested, "Right? I mean, if that's the building you saw, maybe it was for a good reason. Or did you see a whole lot of buildings, or a whole city, or what?"</p><p>"Just that building."</p><p>We all went silent, thinking about the possibility of finding the Institute, then started our trek. As we walked I would randomly get flashes of things that happened a second later. All flock related. Like maybe I would see Nudge sneeze and it would happen, or Iggy stub his toe, or Gazzy ask if we had money as we passed a food vendor.</p><p>Wait- that one hadn't happened yet.</p><p>"So do we have money? I hope?" he asked. </p><p>There we go. I thought irritably.</p><p>"Maybe." Max said, pulling out the bank card, "What do you think? Should we try this?"</p><p>"Well, we need money, for sure. But it might be a trap, a way for them to track where we are and what we we're doing." Fang pointed out.</p><p>"Yeah." Max sighed, thinking. I imediatly knew what she would do. I saw her go to an ATM. And of course she did just that a second later. I felt like screaming because this. Was, Driving. Me . CRAZY! </p><p>Max tried "maxride' and "14, 11, 8, 6." then "password." all wrong so the machine shut down. Max motioned for us to keep going. I swayed a little and slowed down, walking just behind the others. I felt like I was going to barf. Maybe I was! I'd probably see before hand. </p><p>I saw the next ATM just before we got there. Max went to it and I leaned against a wall, squeezing my eyes shut. I saw her try "MFINGA" and "School" and "Maximum" none of which were going to work. I waited for a moment after I saw them continue on then started walking exactly when they did, swaying like a drunk person.</p><p>On the next one she tried, "Fang", "Iggy", and "Gasman". The next one "Nudge", and "Angel", and todays date. When we were at the next machine she finally admitted, "I don't know what to do." which was actually a surprise to me. Max never admitted that, even when it was true!<br/>I saw a vision of what she would put but ignored it, getting annoyed at these visions.</p><p>"Why don't you try 'mother'?" Angel asked. I realized that's what I had just saw Max type and raised my eyebrow.</p><p>"Why do you think that?" Max asked. Luckily I was seeing in the present time again but it probably wouldn't last long. </p><p>"I agree with Angel." I encouraged. </p><p>Max looked at Fang then slowly typed "mother" in. It worked, of course. Max took out 200$ and stuffed it in her pocket.</p><p>"How did you know that?" Fang asked Angel with false calmness.</p><p>Angel shrugged, "It just came to me." she looked sad and I guessed it was because she lost Celeste. This didn't come in a feeling or vision, which was a relief.</p><p>"In a voice?" Max asked.</p><p>Angel shook her head, "The word was just in my head. I don't know why." Fang and Max looked at each other and Angel looked up at me, her eyes piercing. She had read my mind when I saw what was going to happen. </p><p>Please don't tell the others, not yet. I mentally pleaded to her, It's probably just a temporary quirk! </p><p>Angel frowned at me and I heard her voice in my head, I won't tell them, but you better do it soon. she then looked away and took Max's hand. I felt- the seatbelt feeling again- that if I didn't tell them soon she would do it herself...</p><p> </p><p>And this is where I'll stop! Hope you enjoyed! If you want to brainstorm possibilities of what's going on with the visions feel free to coment! Please coment!</p><p>See you! </p><p>(yea, I'm really bad at this)</p><p>~Shadow Moon</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Entry 9: Dinner Schinner Chapters 101-109</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shadow tells her side of chapters 101-109</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hello again guys! Excited to see what happens next in my side of the story? Well I'm happy to tell ya! Here I go:</p><p> </p><p>I saw us enter a greenish tinted building and knew we were close to finding the building Max had seen. I was exausted, dizzy, sick, and a major headache was forming from all of the visions, but I was still able to feel excited at the chance of learning all the things we wanted to know about ourselves. </p><p>"Is this it?" Iggy asked and I realized the others had stopped and were looking at the building I saw us walking into.</p><p>"Yep, are we ready?" Max confirmed.</p><p>"Aye, Captain!" Iggy saluted, I couldn't help but laugh. Typical Iggy, making me laugh when I felt anything but happy.</p><p>We walked into the building through the revolving doors and were met by the lobby with it's polished wood, brass, big tropical plants, and granite tiles. </p><p>Max and the others went to a display that listed all the offices and companies in the building but I just leaned against the wall, knowing they wouldn't find what they were looking for. Iggy joined me and a few minutes later we followed Max to the reception desk where a strict looking woman sat.</p><p>"Excuse me, are there any other companies in this building that aren't on the board?" Max asked sweetly.</p><p>"No." she said bluntly. Looking once at us then back at her laptop. The others turned away but I patiently waited for the receptionist to cry out in suprise and the others to turn back, just like I saw. </p><p>Just like the TVs the computer screen cleared and words popped up on it, There's a pot of gold beneath every rainbow. This I hadn't scene because I had no control what-so-ever over what I saw happening before hand.</p><p>"Does this building have a basement?" Max asked. The reseptionist frowned at her and I got the feeling I should get a headstart on getting the heck out of there.</p><p>"Who are you? What do you want?" she asked, behind me.</p><p>"Never mind." Max muttered, herding the rest of the flock out the door. The moment we were outside we started runnning. I ran but I didn't know how I did it, considering I could hardly walk. Maybe it was because my random visions had taken a break?</p><p>Maybe six blocks later we slowed to a walk, breathing hard. </p><p>To everyone's surprise Gazzy suddenly turned and punched a mailbox, "This sucks! Nothing ever goes right!" he yelled, "We get hassled everywhere! Max's head is busted, Angel lost Celeste, we're all hungry- I hate this! I hate everything!"</p><p>Max tried to put a hand on his shoulder but he shoved it off.  She stared at him for a moment then stepped forward and hugged him, resting her chin on his head. "I'm sorry, Gazzy. You're right. This really sucked. I know it's hard sometimes. Listen, what would make you feel better right now?" she soothed.</p><p>"Really?" he asked, sounding as young as he was.</p><p>"Really." Max confirmed.</p><p>"Well, I just want- I just want to, like, sit down somewhere and eat a lot of food. Not just get food while we're walking. I want to sit down and rest and eat." </p><p>"I think that can be arranged." Max said kindly. I wish I could get what I wanted from Max that easily! </p><p>Our search for a place to eat lead us to Central Park and a resteraunt called Garden Tavern which Gazzy was excited to go to. Me not so much. It looked crowded, plus, I got a bad feeling. Not a sure vision, but I sensed in that odd way I've been developing, that something bad was going to happen here and we were going to call a lot of attention.</p><p>Once inside we were greated by a woman pretty enough to be a model, "May I help you? Are you waiting for your parents?" </p><p>"No, there's just us." Max smiled, "Can we have a table for seven, please? I'm treating everybody with my birthday money." Max lied easily.</p><p>We were lead to one of the three rooms (Prism Room which had a lot of crystal decore, Garden Room, which was like a rain forest, and Castle Room which was like a castle-duh). The room we were lead to was the Castle room and we got a table near the kitchen. The lady told us our server would be a guy named Jason and left.</p><p>"Max this is so, so great! This is the nicest place we've ever eaten!" Nudge exlaimed. I felt like pointing out that we were eating at the place, not eating it. Oh well...</p><p>The server came a few minutes later, he was short and chubby with red hair. He stood next to Iggy looking none-to-happy to have gotten stuck with a bunch of kids, "Are you waiting for your parents?" he asked.</p><p>"No, there's just us." Max repeated. </p><p>He frowned, "Ah. Are you ready to order?"</p><p>"Anyone know what they want?" Max asked. </p><p>Gazzy ordered first, getting two orders of chicken tenders, a fruit cocktail, two glasses of milk, and fries. </p><p>"I want a hot-fudge sundae." Angel said.</p><p>"Real food first. You need fuel." Max told her.</p><p>"Okay." she agreed then looked up at Jason, "We're not spoiled rich brats, we're just hungry."<br/>Jason flushed and shifted his feet uncomfortably, I snickered.</p><p>Angel ordered a prime rib and all the stuff with it, soda, and lemonade. Nudge got two lasagna primavera, salad, bread, and milk. Max got a shrimp cocktail, maple-glazed roast pork loin with cabbage and patatoes and stuff, a salad with bleu cheese dressing, lemonade and an iced tea. Fang got a prime rib and a bottle of water.</p><p>"What do you want, Shadow?" Max asked me.</p><p>I felt sick and didn't really want to eat anything. "Just a small fry." I shrugged, trying not to worry them.</p><p>"You should probably get more than that, Shads." Fang said.</p><p>"I'm good." I insisted, making Jason look relieved. </p><p>Iggy got a rack of lamb with patatoes, spinach, and merlot-rosemary sauce, a couple glasses of mild, and some bread. </p><p>Jason  frowned at us over his note pad,"This is a great deal of food for just the seven of you. Maybe you've overordered."</p><p>"I understand your concern, but it's okay. Just bring it, please." Max said, loosing her patience.</p><p>"You'll have to pay for all of it, whether you eat it or not."</p><p>"Yea, that's usually how a resteraunt works." Max said slowly.</p><p>"This is going to really add up." He continued.</p><p>"I get it. I get the concept. Food costs money. Lots of food costs lots of money. Just bring us what we ordered. Please." Max seethed. Jason walked away stiffly.</p><p>"I love this place." Fang said calmly. His way of joking.</p><p>Someone brought us two baskets of bread and put small dishes of olive oil down on the table. I got a sudden visition of the manager coming right before he actually did. I tensed, sensing it would get worse.</p><p>"Good afternoon." he greeted us, Jason was behind him.</p><p>"Hello." Max sighed.</p><p>"I am the manager. Is there something I can help you with?"</p><p>"Well, I don't think so, unless the kitchen is out of something we ordered."</p><p>"Yes, well, you seem to have ordered an unusual quantity of food. We wouldn't want to be wasteful with it, or present you with a shocking bill because your eyes were bigger than your somachs." the manager gave a fake laugh, I could tell Max was ready to snap.</p><p>"Well, that is just so sweet of you, but we're pretty hungry. It seems like we should just order and get what we ordered, you know?"</p><p>"Perhaps you would be happier in some other resteraunt. Broadway is nearby." the manager suggested. </p><p>I suddenly got a vision of us surrounded by cops. I wanted to say something, but Max spoke again before I could. "No freaking duh. But we're in this one and we're hungry. Now, I have the money, we brought our appetites with us; are you going to give us what we ordered or not?"</p><p>The manager pursed his lips angrily, "Not, I believe." he said, motioning for a security guard.</p><p>"This is stupid, let's just split." Iggy snapped, "Gaser, we'll go someplace that isn't run by Nazis, okay?</p><p>"Okay," the Gasman agreed.</p><p>Angel looked at Jason then the manager, "Jason thinks you're full of hot air and that you smell like a sissy. And what's a himbo?"</p><p>Jason turned red and the manager glared at him.</p><p>Max stood up, "Fine. We're going. The food's probably lousy here, anyway."</p><p>And then my vision came true. Stupid cops. They came in from the front door and kitchen so we were surrounded. </p><p>"Up and away." Fang said and Max nodded.</p><p>"Right, kids. You have to come with us." a cop said, "We'll call your folks down at the station."</p><p>Jason grinned and Max finally snapped. She snatched the olive oil from the table and poured it on his head. Moving fast she got onto the tabel and leapt into the air, unfurling her wings and taking off. We all joined her quickly. Gazzy yelled "Jerk" to the manager and threw bread at his head.</p><p>"Up here!" Fang shouted, pointing at a skylight. He ducked his head and covered it with his arms and broke through the window. The rest of us followed quickly.</p><p>Max was the last one out. "To the trees." she told Fang. </p><p>Not long later we all landed in a towering maple tree, everyone out of breath.</p><p>After everyone had filled their lungs with air the others started talking. Probably about what had happened, but I didn't hear. I was swept up in another stupid vision. Erasers were surounding our little tree. I looked at Angel and she was looking at me, eyes wide.</p><p>"Yea," Max was saying, "As an unqualified disaster, this ranks right up there."</p><p>"And it's getting worse." a smooth Eraser voice said from below. We were surrounded of course. If only I had seen it early enough to warn the others! </p><p>Ari stepped into our sight, grining wolfishly. At the sight of all of the Erasers I froze, heart beating so loud I almost couldn't hear.</p><p>"You keep showing up like a bad penny." Max sneered at him.</p><p>"I was about to say the same thing to you." he grinned back.</p><p>I squeezed my eyes shut as I saw another vision. Angel down with the Erasers, demanding Ari to give something back. Max landing behind her looking like a angry mother bear. </p><p>I opened my eyes and my vision stopped when little Angel cried, "Celeste!" and jumped down. Ari had Celeste!</p><p>"Angel, no!" Max yelled at the same time Fang shouted, "Stay put!" </p><p>Ari taunted Angel and Max jumped down after her. "Touch her and I'll kill you." she vowed, looking lethal.</p><p>Ari grinned and shook Celeste. Angel spoke, voice not at all angelic, "Give me the bear." Ari laughed and Angel stared hard at him, "Gice. Me. The. Bear." she demanded. </p><p>"You're-" Ari choked, "You're-"</p><p>"Drop the bear now." Angel said, her voice hard.</p><p>Ari's fist that held Celeste unclenched and he dropped the stuffed bear. Angel immediately snatched it and climbed back up the tree. The Erasers lunged after them but Ari stopped them angrily, "You have your orders! Don't ever question them!" he turns to Max, still speaking to the goons, "You can't question them, even if they seem stupid. Even if you'd rather just rip the flock apart."</p><p>One of the Erasers made and eager, hungry sound and I winced reaching out and grabbing the closest hand to mine. Which happened to be Iggy's.</p><p>Ari leaned closer to Max and whispered something I couldn't hear.</p><p>"Don't sharpen your fangs just yet, dog boy." Max responded. </p><p>Ari almost responded then listened to something no one but him could hear, pressing one of his fingers to his wolfish ear. "The Director wants to see us. Now!" He barked to the others. They all turned and left.</p><p>The moment the Erasers were gone I slumped against the tree, shaking like crazy. Max joined us and I saw us flying away so I forced my self to get up just as the others decided to do the same. I just wanted to sleep until all of this insanity was over, but I knew that it would most likely never end.</p><p>We ended up at the top of an unfinished sky scraper. Max and Nudge had gotten left to get groceries and I was leaning against a metal post, hugging my knees to my chest and resting my head on them. What I wouldn't give for some pain killers, a warm shower, and a soft bed right about now...</p><p>I looked up when Iggy sat next to me and tapped my shoulder. </p><p>"Hey." I said, my voice weak and raspy.</p><p>"You okay?" he asked, "You've been more silent then usual today."</p><p>"Yes? No? Ugg, I don't know!" I wanted to tell him all about my visions, but was scared he was think I was loony.</p><p>"Do you wanna talk about it?" he invited.</p><p>I shook my head, "Not tonight. I just want to eat and go to bed."</p><p>He nodded in agreement and we lapsed into a comfortable silence. Max and Nudge returned with food and after we all ate we laid down to sleep. Though it was no soft bed I was met by instant unconsciousness the moment I had laid down...</p><p>I was the first to wake up the next morning so I nudged Fang with my foot. He opened his eyes groggily and I told him I was going to go find food. He nodded, half awake, and handed me some of the money. </p><p>If he had been awake he would have never let me go on my own. With this knowledge in mind I hurried away before he awoke. </p><p>On my way out of the grocery store I saw a bunch of newspapers and guess what? Pictures of us at the restaurant last night, flying, were on the front page of every one of them. I laughed in shock and bought some of them to show the others then flew up to where they were waiting. Awake and obviously looking for me.</p><p>"Heyyo! Got the grub and some interesting news, literally!" I greeted happily. I handed the Gasman the food and Fang the papers.</p><p>"Jeez..." he breathed, looking them over.</p><p>"What is it?" Iggy asked.</p><p>"We're on the front page of ever one of these newpapers!" Gazzy exlaimed. </p><p>I saw a vision- my first one today, I had kind of been hoping they had stopped so my mood changed from happy to annoyed almost instantly- of Fang waking Max so suggested he do just that and sat down to eat something.</p><p>Later that afternood we went to the nearest deli and stocked up on all we could carry. Though we were worried about being seen we walked down the street anyways. At least until we knew where to go next. </p><p>I laughed out loud when I saw a vision of us all getting complete make-overs and the flock turned to me, staring. Angel-who had read my mind- look excited. Fang gave me a questioning look and I just shruged. </p><p>A few minutes later we were walking when a guy with a mohawk jumped out at us, "You!" He exclaimed, "You guys are perfect!"</p><p>"Perfect for what?" Fang asked, completely calm as usual.</p><p>"We're having a makeover fest!" the guy said, "You guys can have total makeovers for free- as long as your stylist gets to do whatever he or she wants."</p><p>That explained my vision.</p><p>"Like what?" Nudge asked.</p><p>"Makeup, hairstyle, everything! Except tattoos. We'd need a note from your parents." the dude said.</p><p>"I want to do it!" Nudge begged, "It sounds so fun! Can we do it, Max? I want a makeover!"</p><p>"Uh..." Max hesitated, but I knew she would end up saying yes, "I'm up for it." Fang looked shocked and Max meaningfully added, "We'd love to be made over. Make us look completely different."</p><p>This was going to be so weird- and cool.</p><p> </p><p>That's all for now folks! </p><p>See ya!</p><p>~Shadow Moon</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Entry 10: Confession Chapter 110- 117</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shadow tells her side of chapters 110-117</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ready for more? I am, sort of… I’m nervous/excited… Here we go!</p><p> </p><p>Much to my great surprise, I actually liked doing the makeover! Mainly because the entire time my annoying visions took a break so I could see naturally what my family was going to look like after their own makeovers. It was so weird seeing them change so much in a mater of minutes! I stalled my own makeover so I could watch, so I was the last one to go.</p><p>Because it's hard to explain I'm just going to put pictures of everyone after their makeovers, oldest to youngest:</p><p>Cool, huh? But I can't believe Fang cut his hair! I mean what the heck! I loved his hair! </p><p>"You next." a peppy woman with a pixy cut and pale white skin said to me, grabbing my hand.</p><p>"Wait, uh-" I protested as she dragged me along.</p><p>Fang trailed behind me, grinning, "What's wrong, Shads? Scared?" he teased.</p><p>"Don't worry, I'll take great care of you." my stylist, Alice, promised, pushing me onto a chair. I groaned, actually willing my visions to come back so I could see how this would end. "Now, I was think we could cut it short like your friend Max's hair-"</p><p>"No!" I  cried, leaping it out of the seat, "No cutting it short." I demanded, hugging my hair which had been let down and fell a little past my waist.</p><p>"Why not?" Fang  asked, "I did it."</p><p>"Exactly!"</p><p>Alice laughed and put me back on the chair, "Alright, I wont cut it short." she vowed, "Can I at least trim it a bit? Just at the ends to smooth it out? It's all split down here..." she said, lifting up some of my hair.</p><p>"How much?" I asked, squirming.</p><p>She studied my hair with a critical eye, "I would prefer three inches, but I could make due with only one..."</p><p>"Fine." I muttered, she squealed happily and got her stuff. "You know," she said, "I've never seen blue highlights like this before... Where'd you get it done?"</p><p>"Uh..." what do I say? Do I tell her the truth, that it's natural?</p><p>"Lucky gene. I didn't get it." Fang said easily.</p><p>"Really? Thats sooo cool!" Alice gushed, and it went on like that until she was finished- with my hair. She had chopped of an inch, which was the emotionally painful part, then curled it.  As she worked she talked, giving me instructions on how to easily do my hair like this when I told her I would be on the road with no hair stuff. She said my hair was naturally curly, thats why it was wavy most of the time, but because it was so long and heavy I would need to spend a few minutes of my "undivided attention". </p><p>"Now for your makeup!" She said, turning me to face her. </p><p>"What?! Noooooo! No make up." I protested.</p><p>"Fang?" Alice asked. She had made an annoying habit of turning to Fang every time I argued.</p><p>"Just this once, Shadow." Fang said, suppressing a grin. When my makeup was done she lead me out to the clothes to chose an outfit. At least here I had the reins... I chose a blue shirt with a high neck and no sleeves, a sleeveless black jacket with tons of pockets, skinny jeans, and boots that went to my knees. I looked something like this:</p><p>"Come on, lets go show the others." Alice proudly said, pulling me to where the rest were waiting.</p><p>"Shadow!" Nudge squealed, "You look amazing!" she ran over and hugged me, I couldn't help but smile.</p><p>"Don't ruin my masterpiece!" Alice fretted.</p><p>"Your hair looks so short." Max commented.</p><p>"It's just because it's curled!" Alice hurried, making sure I didn't freak.</p><p>"I wish I could see it." Iggy grumpily commented.</p><p>I smirked and walked over to him. I took his hand and rested it on my head so he could feel the curls. "There ya go. Not as good as seeing it, but it works, right?"</p><p>Iggy smiled, softly brushing his hand along my hair, "Was your hair always this soft?" he asked so only I could hear.</p><p> I blushed and shrugged but realized he couldn't see it. "I don't know."</p><p>A few minutes later we were in a small park then up in the air, on our way to who know's where. (Golly, I'm a poet and didn't even know it!) The weirdest thing happened while we were flying, I actually worried about my hair! Like, if the wind would ruin it or not. </p><p>We landed on an empty beach that had boulders blocking off any outside entrance- unless you had wings. Once we landed Fang scoped out the area and gave it the O. K. Max got out the food and passed it around. I ate heartily, not knowing when those nasty visions would come back again. They could be useful, if I got more control over them- like how much before the actual event they happened, and for what events they happened- but for now they were making me dizzy, and sick, and-</p><p>I froze mid-bite when I saw Angel staring at me. Crap. </p><p>Please don't tell! Not yet, please. I silently begged. She frowned but didn't say anything. 20 minutes later we stacked our fists and went to bed...</p><p>I awoke early the next morning before the sun was up because of a nightmare. At lease, I hoped it was a nightmare. I refused to accept it if it was a vision. I didn't even want to believe there were that many Eraser's in existence and in my dream there had been hundreds of them, surrounding us... </p><p>Getting up I pulled off my boots and socks and walked over to the water, letting the gentle waves roll over my bare feet. crouched down and laid my hand just above the surface of the water, letting the waves run over them as well. It was peaceful, relaxing, not at all like my last few days. </p><p>"Shadow?" I heard Iggy ask, I turned around and saw his sightless eyes searching for me not far from the water.</p><p>"Right here, Iggs." I said, walking up to him. The others were still asleep and probably wouldn't wake 'til the sun woke them.</p><p>"Heard you." Iggy explained, "Before you woke up..."</p><p>I winced, "Sorry about that..."</p><p>"Nightmare?" He asked finding my hand.</p><p>"I hope..." I muttered, taking it.</p><p>"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked. I looked at him, debating telling him. It would be the easiest to tell him out of anyone in the flock... "Shadow?"</p><p>"It's nothing." I lied, dropping his hand.</p><p>"No, it's not. I didn't want to mention it, but I've noticed you've been acting weird the last few days. Quiet- well, more than usual. You haven't been eating as much as you should- except for last night. You are walking slower, more, I don't know, wobbly?"</p><p>I stared at him in surprise. "Wow, you've been paying attention."</p><p>He shrugged, "If I don't I start to worry I'll get lost..." </p><p>I took his hand again, "You wont get lost. Not while I'm around."</p><p>We were silent for a moment as the sky lightened, he pulled me forward into the water until we were up to our ankles.</p><p>"So you going to tell me whats up with you?" he pressed.</p><p>"Promise not to tell the others?" I began hesitantly.</p><p>"That bad?" he laughed.</p><p>"Maybe, I don't know... It can be a good thing, maybe..." I groaned and rubbed my now frizzy hair. </p><p>"I'm listening, shoot." </p><p>"Okay, um... Remember the car crash when the others got captured?"</p><p>"Yea?"</p><p>"Remember how just before I just randomly put on my seatbelt?"</p><p>"Yea, perfect timing, right? If you wouldn't have put your seatbelt on none of us would have and that could have been bad." </p><p>Okay, so it could be a good thing after all... "Yea, well, I only did it because I had- I don't know, a sense- that we were going to crash and I should put my seatbelt on..."</p><p>"Okay?" he said, not sure what I was getting at.</p><p>"Well, I've been having feelings like that more and more often since. I would get a feeling that something was going to happen and then it did." I couldn't stop now that I had started, though I wish I could, "Then, I started getting flashes, then full on visions about what was going to happen next and- and it actually happens! Ex-exactly as I see it!" I didn't know how badly this had been freaking me out until I started crying. I don't know what got into me! I never, ever cry. Ever. But sure enough tears started streaming down my face and then I had to hold up a sob!</p><p>"Hey, shhhh..." Iggy soothed, pulling me into a hug. "Shhhh, it's okay, Shadow..."</p><p>I saw a vision of the others waking up and pulled away, trying to wipe away me tears, "Oh gosh," I moaned, "They're going to wake up! I can't let them see me crying!"</p><p>"Aren't you going to tell them? If you're so upset about this you probably should!" Iggy said.</p><p>"No, not yet! No-not until I at least see if I can control it!" I finally managed to dry my eyes. The sun wasn't all the way up, I saw they would be up when it was over the horizon, but I didn't have much time to calm down.  </p><p>"And in the mean time? You said this had to do with why you were going slower, walking wobbly, and not eating enough and stuff! If it's because of these visions you need to tell the others, Shadow! You know how dangerous all of this is when we're all in top condition!"</p><p>"I was walking slower because I didn't want the others to notice, and I was wobbly because the visions were making me dizzy and- and sick, and that's why I didn't want to eat, but I'm sure It's temporary! If I could just get control over it-"</p><p>"If? Come on Shadow, you know that's a long shot. What if- what if you get hurt, huh? What if the Erasers get to you because your stuck in a vision, or too weak to fight and the others don't know to watch your back and they can't help you?" Iggy fretted.</p><p>"I wouldn't be any good in a fight anyways, Iggy!" I practically screamed at him. When my eyes flooded with tears I suddenly realized why I was so freaked out. I was scared about the exact thing Iggy had mentioned. Scared of the same thing I always was. Fighting, fighting and those stinking Erasers.</p><p>The sun was almost up and the others almost awake and I was crying again. I needed to leave. Now. Before Iggy could put in another word I was up and out of there, just as Fang woke up. I heard him call out to me and Iggy tell him to let me go but nothing else after that, because I was already too far... </p><p> </p><p>I didn't come back 'til around noon- worried that he was going to tell the others, but making sure that if he did, they got the chance cool down. I wanted the visions to show me if he had told them anything or not, but once again the visions didn't happen exactly when I wanted them to. What a surprise. On my way back I picked up some food for the flock to use as a peace treaty of sorts if the need be.</p><p>When I landed on the beach the younger kids were splashing around in the water. Fang, Max, and Iggy were relaxing on the beach. Iggy was a ways away from Fang and Max and seemed to be deep in thought. I still wasn't sure if he had told, but I couldn't run from my family and the school for the rest of my life! Besides, if they did know that made things a bit easier on me.</p><p>I landed just behind the driftwood Fang and Max were sitting against, but they heard me. </p><p>"Shadow? Oh gosh, Shadow!" Max exclaimed, standing up, "We were so worried! Where the heck did you go?" </p><p>They both walked up to me, Fang didn't say anything, but I could tell he was worried too.</p><p>"I'm fine. Just went for a quick fly, okay?" I said.</p><p>"Where did you go?" Fang asked.</p><p>"I don't know, I wasn't paying attention. I just-" I took a deep breath, "I just needed a breather, okay? Can we just forget about it?" the most Iggy had done to acknowledge my return was turn his head in our direction then look back at the sea.</p><p>Max looked like she was about to say something else but Fang shook his head once and walked back to the driftwood. "Don't do it again." Max scolded before following him.</p><p>I breathed out a sigh of relief, that had gone better than I thought. The rest of the day went by pretty uneventful. My visions came at random intervals, some close to each other, some spaced out, some right before the event, some as much as 30 minutes before! Sometimes it wasn't even a full on vision. </p><p>I tried playing with the others for a bit in the water. We had tons of fun splashing around, diving in, and so on, but every time I got a vision I would get dizzy again and sometimes fall in the water. </p><p>Once a long one happened while I was under the water and I nearly drowned! Luckily Angel was nearby and I wasn't far under so she was able to pull me back up without calling the attention of the others. She was going to tell the others then, but I promised I would do it soon and that I would stay on the sand for now. She conceded, but I felt it was only temporarily. If I didn't tell them all, soon, she would.</p><p>That night we stacked hands and slept on the soft sand. As I lay I stared at the stars until I fell fast asleep...</p><p>The next morning when me and Fang when to the city for food and stuff I picked up a book that I could try reading. I wasn't the best reader in the world, but I loved doing it and I figured, what's a little practice gonna hurt? Besides, I promiced Angel I wouldn't go in the water! What else was I supposed to do on this boring beach? Sun bathe? Yea right.</p><p>When we got back Fang handed Max a newspaper with a flourish. We were no longer on the front page, but on part of page six was the title "Mysterious Bird Children Nowhere to Be Found." and a little article.</p><p>"Well, good for us. We've gone two days without causing a huge commotion in a public place and getting our pictures splashed all over the news." Max said.</p><p>"We're going swimming!" Nudge declared, taking Iggy, Angel, and the Gasman with her. I watched them go before taking my book out and starting with page one.  Angel left Celeste by a peice of driftwood before getting into the cold coast.</p><p>Did you know that reading is stinking hard! It took me forever just to get through that one page! And while reading the next I kept getting distracted by my visions and stuff! I mean, I got a vision just of Angel and the Gasman splashing each other than Angel diving under the water and Gazzy chasing her! </p><p>I sighed and put the book back in my back pack and decided just to watch the kids swim. I saw the scene with Gazzy and Angel happen, this time there was 47 seconds between vision and event. I closed my eyes and consentrated on the visions. I noticed that I would first get a feeling and then the vision would happen. Next time I got the feeling I tried feeling the boundaries of it so I could eventually filter them. I saw Max groan and put her head in her hands. 2 seconds later she was actually doing it. </p><p>"Your head hurt?" Fang asked her tensly.</p><p>She sighed and shook her head no then looked at the ocean.</p><p>I looked to and noticed something odd. Gazzy was searching the surface of the water, seeming confused, panic written on his face. I heard Max gasp and saw her stand up and start running towards the water, Fang on her heals. Angel was still under the water! I realized, panicking. I stood up and ran to the water just as Max reached the Gasman and grabbed his shoulders. "Where did she go down?" she demanded.</p><p>"Right here! She dove that way!" he said, "I saw her go under." </p><p>We all got to Max and Gazzy and started searching the water, but you could only see a few inches into the water and waves were making it even more difficult. We searched in a big circle maybe thirty yards out but didn't find her.</p><p>Once again I felt useless. I kept trying to search in deeper for her like the others, but everytime I did I felt a vision coming on of us searching and had to back up again. At least I could search the shallows for her though...</p><p>"Do you see anything?" Max called to Fang.  Fang shook his head, not looking up from his search in the water. We searched the area again and again and again but still no Angel.  Then, to my great, great, great relief I saw a vision of Angel popping out of the ocean waist deep and waving at us. I straitened and skimmed the surface of the water looking for the spot I saw her at. Hundreds of yards away my vision happened and I saw her small hand waving at us. We hurried to our youngest flock member and she met us halfway. When we finally got to her Max asked, "Angel, where were you?"</p><p>"Guess what?" Angel said, smiling, "I can breathe under water!"</p><p>Max pulled her into a wet hug and murmered, "Angel, I thought you had drowned! What were you doing?" </p><p>I felt weak with relief as we wadded back to shore. Gazzy was fighting back tears so I put my arm accross his shoulder as we walked. </p><p>"I was just swimming and I accidentally swallowed some water and started to choke. But I didn't want Gazzy to find me. We were playing hide-and-seek," Angel explained, "Under water. So I just stayed under, and then I realized that I could sort of swallow water and stay under and not choke."</p><p>"What do you mean, swallow water?" Max asked.</p><p>"I just swallow it and then go like this." Angel huffed air out  of her nose making the cutest little face.</p><p>"It comes out your nose?" Fang asked.</p><p>"No, I don't know where the water goes." Angel said. "But air comes out my nose."<br/>Max looked at Fang, "She's extracting oxygen from the water."</p><p>"Can you show us?" Fang said.</p><p>Angel walked up to the shore. She dunked in when she was waist deep. Max stayed inches away from her like an overprotective mother bear. Angel took a mouthful of water and stood up. It looked like she swallowed it, and then air came out her nose. As I watched I saw sea water seep out of her neck.</p><p>"Holy moly," Gazzy breathed and Nudge told Iggy everything that happened and he whistled, impressed.</p><p>"And I can do it and stay under and just keep swimming." Angel said, pulling out her wings so they can dry.</p><p>"I bet I can do it too! 'Cause we're siblings." the Gasman declaired, dropping into the water and taking in a mouthful of water. He swallowed it and tried to breath out ar but all that came out was water. He gagged and choked and started coughing wildly. It took him a few minutes to breath normally again.</p><p>"You okay?" Max asked when the coughing stopped. Gazzy nodded, looking misserable.</p><p>"Iggy, touch Angel's neck and see if you can feel anything," Max instructed, "Those pores that water comes through."</p><p>Iggy reached over and traced all over Angel's neck with only the tip of his fingers. "I can't feel anything." he said.</p><p>I saw a vision of everyone else trying it and failing and rolled my eyes. The after math was going to be gross. I felt bad for the unsuspecting stranger that went swimming in our barf-infested waters. I turned away as the others did it, opting out when they told me to try it. I paled as I got a feeling that Angel was going to tell the others about my visions.</p><p>"I'm not the only one that has a new ability." Angel said. We were all on the beach, the others breathing hard from their failed attempts at breathing underwater.</p><p>I whirled to face her, "Angel, no!" I seethed.</p><p>"What do you mean?" Nudge asked. Everyone turned to look at her and I slowly back away, only to be stopped by Iggy's hand on my back.</p><p>"Shadow? Do you want to tell them?" Angel said, looking up at me with wide, falsly innocent eyes.</p><p>I scowled at her, "There's nothing to tell." I growled. I winced at my unexpectedly feirce tone and took a deep breath. That had been close, my wolf form almost took control. It always did whenever I got too angry and the outcomes weren't always pretty.</p><p>"Come on, Shadow!" Iggy groaned, "Just tell them!" </p><p>Angel didn't look surprised that Iggy knew. She just nodded in agreement, folding her small arms in a perfect immitation of Max's scolding stance.</p><p>"What are they talking about, Shads?" Fang asked </p><p>I winced again and shook my head. I couldn't tell them. I couldn't tell them because I would freak out again. I would freak out again and I would cry. I couldn't cry in front of them. Angel sighed and started explaining for me, I turned my back on them so I wouldn't have to see their eyes widen in surprise, sitting on a peice of driftwood. Unforchunatelly my visions made turning around fruitless. </p><p>I felt around the visions and concentrated on shutting them down so I wouldn't have to see their wide eyes. To my surprise it actually worked. I tried pulling it back and it worked too.  I then realized I could pull up past visions with the same vividness they had when I first saw them. Then a vision came that Max was going to be furious at me for keeping such a big secret. </p><p>Shoot! I hadn't even considered that they would be mad! Angel was almost done with her explanation so I stood up and tried getting away before I had to suffer Max's famed wrath. Unfortunately since Iggy already knew everything Angel was telling the rest of the flock he was paying more attention to me and heard me get up. He pulled me back onto a seat and kept a firm hand on my shoulder. I felt like a three year old in time-out.</p><p>"That's why she's been acting so weird!" Fang exlaimed.</p><p>"No," I started, lifting Iggy's hand off and turning to face them, "I'm naturally weird."</p><p>"You don't naturally eat less than one plate of food. You don't naturally walk like a drunk person." Iggy seethed under his breath. I glared at him but of course he couldn't see that! Ugg!</p><p>"Why on earth did you not tell us?!" Max fummed. </p><p>I shrunk under her glare, "I hoped it was only temporary..." I straitened up, "Besides, it's not that big of a deal. If I get it under control it can even be a big help."</p><p>"And until then you were just going to go on like normal? What if we were attacked by Erasers and you had a vision so you didn't see an Eraser coming right at you?" Max yelled.</p><p>I snapped, yelling back at her, "If we were in a fight against the Erasers I wouldn't be any help anyways, Max!"</p><p>"What are you talking about?" She asked and I realized, she had never seen me freeze up!</p><p>"Every time I even think about those stupid Erasers I freeze up! And when I see them it's even worse! So what are the visions gonna hurt when I'm dead weight anyways?!" I made a growling noise and once again had to take a deep breath to calm down. </p><p>"Shadow-" Iggy started, but I just shook my head angrily.</p><p>"No. Look, I'm just going to go for a fly, okay? I'll be careful." I added when I saw Fang about to object.</p><p>"I don't think that's a good idea, Shadow." Max said.</p><p>"Max, I need to calm down." I told her. </p><p>She hesitated but eventually nodded, "Be back ASAP." she called as I flew away.</p><p>I came back when it was dark and the flock was already asleep. I laid quietly a little bit away from the rest. I just wanted to forget all about it and for things to go back to normal. I hated the way they looked at me. Like I was weak or something. I sighed and went to bed, having the same nightmare I'd been having the last few nights, the one with the hundreds of Erasers... </p><p>I awoke in the dead of night to a strong hand over my mouth. I screamed and shoved the hand away but I was hoisted to my feet and held to my attacker. One hand covered my mouth the other pinned my arms to my side.</p><p>I recognized the tough hair on the arms that trapped me. Erasers. I whimpered as pure dread rushed through me. The flock! Where was the flock?! Please, please, please, let them be okay!</p><p>Struggling against the Eraser's crushing grip I look around for my flock, whimpering I see the exact same scene from my horrible, horrible dream. Hundreds and hundreds of Erasers crowded the beach, and the flock was fast asleep, completely unaware of the danger that was all around them. </p><p>Stupid grinning Ari walked over to Max and put a boot on her throat, "Look who's come to the seashore."</p><p>Max woke with a start then Fang and Iggy woke and Max shoved her hand out to wake Nudge. I saw Angel take off into the sky just as the Eraser holding me backed up, out of the flock's line of sight. I had to count on my visions to see if they were okay. </p><p>A vision showed Ari leaning down and whispering something to Max. She spat something back and struggled against his boot which only made him laugh, reach down and touch her cheek, and say something else. Fang yelled something and launched himself at Ari and the vision stopped. I whimpered and thrashed against the iron grip that held me. Unfortunately he just kept dragging me back, away from the flock, away from the family. I screamed and thrashed, trying to get away from him. I didn't freeze, all I could think about was getting back to my family! </p><p>If they didn't know I had ever come back, they wouldn't know I was taken. I realized. Then another vision came of Ari and Fang fighting then Fang falling to the ground, unconscious. Ari almost killed him when thankfully-though I never thought I'd say this- Jeb showed up. He said something to Ari and he reluctantly stepped away from my twin brother's crumpled body. Jeb turned and said something to Max. </p><p>The vision stoped and there was fast movement all around me as the events I saw played out in the distance. The Eraser holding my dragged me quickly to the cliff where he threw me up to another Eraser who shoved me into a waiting van. Shoot. </p><p>I saw for the first time ever a vision of me. One without the flock. Driving away in this stinky van and ending up back at the school. I couldn't let that happen.</p><p>The vision stopped and I saw an Eraser starting to shut the van. Anger flooded through me and I felt a ripping sensation as I transformed into a wolf...</p><p> </p><p>Aaaaand cliff hanger! Wanna know what happens?  Well, you will, in the next blog entry. ;D </p><p>Stay Awesome</p><p>~Shadow Moon</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Entry 11: The Institute Chapters 118-127</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shadow tells her side of chapters 118-127</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Are you ready to hear what happens next in my story? Are you sure? Maybe I should just stop now and have this be my entry for today? No? Alright, here I go...</p><p> </p><p>Without stoping to think I launched myself at the Eraser shutting the door, knocking us both to the floor. It was wolf against slightly-less-wolfy wolf man, and wolf was winning, badly. I'll spare you the gory details of what me and my never used before wolf claws did to that Eraser, but lets just say it's a time I'd rather not think back on. </p><p>Still a wolf I looked around and saw other Erasers shouting and running at me so I did what came naturally to me, I flew. </p><p>Did I know I had wings as a wolf? No. I try my hardest not to be a wolf because the wolf has a worse temper. But appearently I can fly as a wolf and as a human. That's convinient.</p><p>As I flew I saw my first vision of someone outside of the flock, or maybe my brain just considered him a part of the flock since he raised us. I saw Jeb with the Erasers next the the van they had tried to put me in, smiling. I saw another whitecoat, and fell at least 20 feet in the air before catching myself. It was Dr. Ice. The whitecoat who was responsible for putting me in a contained area with a bunch of Erasers while I was in my wolf form to see who would win. I pulled myself out of the vision. That had been another freakin' test! They had wanted- no, they had known I would attack that Eraser if it was to get back to my flock.</p><p>I winced away from the thought and picked up speed so I could get back to the flock, who I sensed were flying back to New York. When I was halfway there I saw them going into the subway tunnels again so I angled in that direction and caught up to them right before they went in.</p><p>"Shadow!" Angel squeeled happily, being the first to see me. I landed and she hugged me, which shot pain through my bruised body.</p><p>"Hey, guys." I said, wincing and patting Angel's head. I turned to Fang, "Are you okay? Ari didn't hurt you too bad, did he?!"</p><p>"How did you- oh, right... I'll heal." Fang said cryptically. That definitely soothed my worrying.</p><p>"Where were you Shadow? Why didn't you come back?" Gazzy asked, looking young and afraid.</p><p>"I did come back." I sighed, "I was with you guys when the Erasers came, but they woke me before you guys and took me away."</p><p>"What?!" Iggy cried.</p><p>I shruged, "I got away, and that's what matters. I don't want to talk about it." I didn't even want to think about it. I kept remembering flashes of the Eraser I had attacked. I could tell Iggy was going to bring this up later, but for now we all just wanted some sleep.</p><p>As we worked our way back to the place in the subway tunnels where we had slept the other night I noticed there was something different between Max and Fang. I'd have to ask about that later...</p><p>I've always been a heavy and deep sleeper- I can sleep any time any place- so the moment we lied down in the same spot as last time I fell into a dreamless sleep. At least, until a few minutes later Fang was shaking me awake again. I winced and got up, feeling more and more bruised but also thankful I hadn't gotten it as bad as Fang. He looked like death and honestly, it was scary.</p><p>Max explained that she knew how to get to the institute and started leading the way through the subway tunnel. I almost turned right around when Max started down a sewer tunnel, but Angel wouldn't go down until I did. </p><p>In case you didn't know this before, Imma gonna tell you know. Sewer's STINK and they have huge rats! Even the sidewalk thingy was grimy and slippery! Yuck! </p><p>The main stumbling point on our journey through filth was when the door Max led us to was locked. But never you fear! Iggy is here! Iggy and his mad lock picking skillz (Kit included). It took him a record breaking time of three minutes to pick that lock and we were in! Well, into a looong dark staircase leading down to who know's where. Think about what I just said. We were going downstairs. Think about it. I always knew the whitecoats were little devils! ;D</p><p>We went down the staircase and for once Iggy wasn't the only one blind. It was pitch black. Luckily I had my visions to keep me from freaking out. Just as I saw we came to the bottom of the stairs, got to an unlocked door which led to fresh air and another unlocked door! Overly easy, anyone? </p><p>Through the second door was a lab like one back at the School. "We're in the Institute." Max stated.</p><p>"Uhm, is that a good thing?" the Gasman asked nervously.</p><p>"Holy... " Fang breathed.</p><p>"No kidding." Max said surveying the room. There were a bunch of computers-most off- big and small and normal sized all around the room along with tables with fancy lab equipment on them. Max went to a computer that was still on but her progress was hauled when it asked for a password. Let's just say her guesses weren't that good. </p><p>Then I saw a vision of Nudge telling Max the passcode and getting it right. I watched, curious, as Nudge touched the computer screen and closed her eyes. </p><p>"Nudge?" Max asked. Nudge put her whole hand on the monitor. "Hello? What are you doing?"</p><p>"Um, try big x, little j, little n, big p, the number seven, big o, big h, little j, and the number four." she told Max in a whisper. Max shook off her shocked expression and typed XjnP7OHj4 and just like I saw before, it worked.</p><p>Nudge slowly opened her eyes and smiled, "Did it work?"</p><p>"Yea, it worked. Where'd you get it?" Max asked.</p><p>"The computer, like, when I touched it." Nudge reached out and touched the computer again, "I can see the person who works here. It's a woman, with frizzy red hair. She drinks way too much coffee. She typed in the password, and I can feel it."</p><p>"Wow, touch something else." Max urged her.</p><p>She went to the next chair down and touched it, closing her eyes again. After a few moments she smiled. "A guy sits here. A baldie. He bites his nails. He went home early yesterday." she opened her eyes and looked at Max excitedly, "I have a new skill! I can do something new! This is so cool!"</p><p>"Good for you, Nudge. You saved our butts here." Max said then went to work on the computer.</p><p>"At least Nudge told us about her new ability." Fang said, so quiet even I, who was standing the closest to him, could hardly hear him.</p><p>I scowled at him and walked over to stand by Iggy instead, but when he heard me walking towards him he moved to be with the Gasman! I winced and just sat in one of the computer chairs. Apparently everyone was mad at me today! I heard paper come out of a printer near me and glanced at it. Max must have found something interesting.</p><p>"What are you doing?" Fang asked her.</p><p>"I think maybe I found something." she breathed, "I'm going to print it, and then we should get the heck out of here. Start getting the others together." Max walked over to the printer and started shoving the papers as the printed in every pocket she had, I helped by picking up a stack of them and putting them in my bag. "Come on!" she called to the others, "Let's split! Let's go!"</p><p>"Uh, just a second, Max." Gazzy said, sounding and looking shaken. </p><p>We all walked over to him and I had a feeling it was going to be bad. One of the walls was covered in a curtain and the ever-curious Gasman has pulled it aside to see what was behind it. The wall behind the curtain wasn't a wall at all but a huge glass window, and what was on the other side of that window was the reason Angel screamed- causing Fang to cover her mouth.</p><p>On the other side of the glass wall was another lab with computers, and lab stations and worst of all, cages. Dozens of cages with kid sized creatures in them. Dozens of cages with mutants, just like us, stuffed in them...</p><p> </p><p>And that's where I'm gunna have ta leave ya'll taday! Hope you come back fer da next entry! </p><p>Woof!</p><p>(I think I'm getting desperate for a good sign off)</p><p>~Shadow Moon</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Entry 12: Family Chapters 128-Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shadow tells her side of chapters 128-the epilogue of the first Maximum Ride book.</p>
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    <p>Hey guys! Can you believe it?! After this chapter we'll have completed one whole book in the MaxRide series in my perspective! All 134 chapters + Epilogue! I hope you enjoy this Entry!</p><p> </p><p>We all froze at the sight of the rows of cages. It was a sight we were familiar with but keep naively hoping we would never see again. Max found a door into the other lab and we all filed in and walked along the cages, silent and pale. I smiled when I saw a vision of us releasing them under Max's order. That was good, no one belonged in a cage- well, except maybe the whitecoats and Erasers. I walked on stiff legs through the rows and rows of horrible recombinant life forms, most not likely to survive much longer. For the sake or your sanity I won't even attempt to describe some of the creatures I saw.</p><p>Then I looked over and saw Max tell Iggy something, who told it to Gaz, who told it to Nudge, who then told it to me. "Start unlocking the cages." she instructed. I nodded and undid the closest one. </p><p>A few minutes later Max called out to us, "Okay, everybody. Let's blow this joint."</p><p>"This way!" Nudge said to the mutants, "Don't be afraid!"</p><p>"I hear voices, be very afraid." Iggy said.</p><p>"Let's move it!" Max yelled.</p><p>We herded the mutants up the stairs and out to the stinky sewer. I looked over to Max and saw a kid with wings next to her, "Where are we?" she asked Max.</p><p>"Sewer system, under a big city. On our way out to fresh air and sunlight." Max told her.</p><p>I saw a vision of Max and Ari fighting and winced. Sure enough Ari spoke from behind Max, "Not just yet. First we need to chat, Maximum." he hissed, "You and I. For old times' sake."</p><p>Max turned to face him, "Back again? What are you doing here? I thought Dad was keeping you on a short leash." Ari growled, his hands clenching, "So what happened, Ari? Who took care of you when Jeb left with us?"</p><p>Ari glared at her "The whitecoats. Don't worry about it; I was in good hands. The best. Somebody was looking out for me."</p><p>"Ari, did Jeb give them permission to Eraserfy you or did someone just do it while he was gone?"</p><p>Ari was shaking with rage now, "What do you care? You're so perfect, the one successful recombinant. And I'm nobody, remember? I'm the boy who was left behind."</p><p>Max paused, but only for a second, "Someone did terrible things to you because Jeb wasn't there to protect you." she said quietly.</p><p>"Shut up!" Ari growled, "You don't know anything! You're as dumb as a brick!"</p><p>"Maybe not. Someone wanted to see if Erasers would last longer if they didn't start from infancy. You were three years old, and they grafted DNA into you and they got a superEraser. Right?"</p><p>Ari lunged at Max and cuffed her cheek, she tumbled against the slimy sewer wall. I wanted to go over there and help her but couldn't. After sucking in a breath she turned back to him, "Out in the real world, you should be in second grade. If Jeb had protected you." Max taunted.</p><p>"Out in the real world, you would have been killed for the disgusting mutant freak you are."</p><p>"And you're a... what?" Max mocked, "Face it, Ari. You're not just a big, hairy seven-year-old. You're much more of an obvious mutant freak than I am. And your own father let it happen."</p><p>"Shut up!" Ari yelled.</p><p>"You see, Ari." Max said before launching a kick at his chest.  Ari hit her again then punched her in the stomach. I wanted to scream at him to stop but only a whimper got out.</p><p>"You're dead meat. I mean that literally." Ari growled at her. Luckily he slipped on the slimy sewer floor and fell on his back. </p><p>"Get them out of here!" Max shouted to Fang before dropping herself heavily on Ari's chest.</p><p>Fang grabbed my hand and together we started herding the other mutants out of the sewer. I fell at least 20 times as we hurried along because of the random visions popping up in my head of Max and Ari's fight. Ari was totally beating up Max. Every time I fell Fang would quickly help me up, his face hard and void of emotion.</p><p>When we got to the subway tunnel Fang found the closest exit which luckily lead to an area uninhabited by people. The girl with wings insisted that she take the kids herself. I got the feeling she didn't trust us and wanted to get as far as she could from us and the Institute as she could. </p><p>Fang agreed and we watched them go then he turned to me, "Can you, uh, see them? Like with your vision things?" he asked tensely. </p><p>"Last I saw was Max being beat up by stupid Ari..." I closed my eyes and tried to find out what was happening. I saw a vision of the others flying through the sewers. Then Jeb was there and he looked furious and for once I heard something in my vision. I heard Jeb yell something at Max, "You killed your own brother!" </p><p>The visions stopped and I gasped in surprise. </p><p>"What is it?" Fang asked.</p><p>"Max is fine. They're coming about now... I actually heard something in my vision this time." I shrugged and we waited for them to come out.</p><p>I sighed in relief as the rest of the flock came up near us, Max walked over, "Where are the other kids? The mutants?" Max asked Fang.</p><p>"The girl with the wings took them." Fang shrugged, "She didn't want to stay with us. Wouldn't take know for an answer. Sounds like anyone you know?"</p><p>Max waved him off and told us walking. I had a vision of Angel being able to keep her dog- wait, dog? I looked over at her and sure enough Angel was holding a little black dog that I recognized from back at the lab. She looked over at me and I raised my eyebrow at her. She just smiled angelically and pet the little canine.</p><p>Max saw the movement and noticed the dog in suprise. "Angel?" she asked, stopping in her tracks, "What's that?"</p><p>"It's my dog." she said stubornly.</p><p>"Your what?" said Fang, looking over at her.</p><p>The whole flock gathered around Angel but Max grudginly told us to keep moving because of all the attention we were bringing to ourselves. </p><p>We ended up at Battery Park- why would you name a park after batteries?-inside a small abandoned band shell that was covered by bushes and stuff. The sun was all the way up and we were all exausted, but antsy to see what we had gotten from the Institute. I noticed a slight change between Fang and Max, but figured it was something to do with Max's voice.</p><p>"Okay.  Angel, explain the dog." Max said in that leader-like way she had.</p><p>"He's my dog. From the Institute." Angel stubornly said, not looking at Max.</p><p>Fang shot Max a look of dissaprooval, he didn't want Max to let Angel keep him. I, however, was rooting for Angel.</p><p>"Angel, we cannot have a dog with us." Max said firmly. The little dog wiggled out of Angel's arms to sit by her side as if on his best behavior. IT WAS SOOOO CUTE! "and besides," Max added, "You have Celeste."</p><p>"I love Celeste, but I couldn't leave Total behind." Angel loyaly stated.</p><p>"Total?" Iggy asked.</p><p>"That's what his card said." explained Angel. Hmm, Total and Toto... We have no entered Oz, and Angel is our Dorthy!</p><p>"Totally a mutant dog who will probably turn on us and kill us in our sleep." Fang said in his normal, calm voice. The dog cocked his head.</p><p>"Aww, how could that cute little thing be bad?" I coed, instantly regretting my words. Fang raised his eyebrow at me and I looked away. Gosh he must think I was such a marshmellow!</p><p>"Angel, we can't always feed ourselves." Max gently continued, "We're on the run. It's dangerous out here. It's all we can do to deal with us."</p><p>Angel still didn't look at Max and her face was as stubborn as a 6-year-old face can get. "He's the most wonderful dog in the whole wide world, so there."</p><p>Max looked to Fang for help. "Angel," he began, but she looked up at him with her wide blue eyes. That's my girl!</p><p>"The first time you don't take care of him, boom, he's out." Fang gave in, "Understood?"<br/>Angel smiled and threw herself into Fang's stiff arms. Max stared at him with her mouth open and he shrugged.</p><p>"She made Bambi eyes at me. You know Ican't resist it when she does Bambi eyes." he said. I knew I wasn't the only marshmellow! Ha! </p><p>"Total! You can stay!" Angel cheered. She hugged the little dog and it yipped excitedly and lept into the air. Sixteen feet into the air...</p><p>That night we made camp near the water at a place called Staten Island. Fang was looking a bit rough from the night before, I felt sore all over, and Max was still limping, but we were all together. We had gone to the Institute and made it out alive.</p><p>Max declared that she had printed some stuff from the Institute computer. Maybe names, addresses, pictures, and stuff. I was a little sceptical. Something felt off, but I just shook it off. Even if the info we reseived was fake, I didn't want to be the barer of bad news.</p><p>"What are you waiting on? The envelope, please." Iggy moaned impatiently, "Open it, already. Then somebody tell me what it says." </p><p>Max pulled out the papers and I looked away. Fang could have the honor of looking at ours. I didn't want to know what was on those papers. I just wanted the flock to stay together. I didn't care about my parents. They weren't for me. </p><p>When had that been my point of view? Well, I had been doing a lot of thinking since we went looking for Nudge's mom back in Arizona. It wasn't until I was almost kidnapped by the Erasers that I decided I'd rather have my flock than my parents any day.</p><p>In the moments after Max passed around the papers it was silent. The only sound was Angel trying to read aloud. "Here I am!" Gazzy cried, "Here I am!"</p><p>"Let me see, Gazzy." Max urged.</p><p>The Gasman handed Max his stuff and I closed my eyes in consentration. I was actually able to pull up a vision of Max seeing the letters F28246eff which was Gazzy's "name". I smiled a little, proud of myself. </p><p>"Here's an address! It's in Virginia!" Max declared.</p><p>"I've got an address too, and some names." Fang breathed, pooring over his papers, "And my name. And, oh man, there are pictures."</p><p>I shoved away my curiousity and looked in the oposite direction of him, even turning my whole body around so I wouldn't be tempted to peek.</p><p>"Let us see, let us see!" the others cried.</p><p>"He looks like you, Fang. And so does she. They've got to be your mom and dad! No doubt!" Nudge said, her voice got thick and I could tell she was crying, then the others joined in. I was glad I hadn't looked. </p><p>"Maybe, maybe not." Fang muttered.</p><p>The Gasman found pictures of his parents and an exact address. Angel went to him and looked at the picture and started sobbing. It crushed my heart to hear her so sad.</p><p>"There's a lot of numbers and nonsense printed all over these pages too." Fang muttered, shuffling through the paper.</p><p>I didn't listen to them. I couldn't. I hated this. All of this talk about parents. I couldn't bare the thought of any of the flock leaving us. </p><p>"Iggy! Iggy! Your mom! Oh, aww-. Says your dad is deceased." Gazzy said. I was suddenly very tense. I was sorry that Iggy's dad was dead, but could he actually want to go and find his mom? Gazzy appologized about Iggy's dad and described his mom to him.</p><p>In the end Max was the only one that had nothing on her. Maybe if all the others left me and Max could stay together? Golly I felt so selfish right about then.</p><p>Max declared we would go to DC to take baths and start tracking our parent and everyone cheered. I held back a groan and was quietly grateful no one seemed to notice lil' ol' me over in the corner. They talked for about an hour more after that. Fantasizing about their parents and families. I just curled up and pulled the cloud of exaustion that had build up over the whole day over me so I wouldn't have to listen to any of my flock, my family, talk about leaving...</p><p>Early that next morning we started to DC and I did all I could to stay quiet and unnoticed. I took a page from Fang's book and answered all questions and comments pointed my way with a shrug and nutral look. The only thing that gave me hope was the subtle feeling that poked at me and suggested that there wasn't a lot of truth to those papers we found...</p><p> </p><p>I DID IT!!!! I did it guys! I finished my perspective of the whole first book! Man that feels amazing! My side of Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment is 100% done! Next I'm moving onto Maximum Ride: School's Out- Forever! Please comment! You know I love it when you do!</p><p>Forever Free</p><p>~Shadow Moon</p>
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